Shloka 12
त्रिवर्गमूलनिश्चयः — Determining the Roots of Dharma, Artha, and Kāma
Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 123
तदहं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि दण्ड उत्पद्यते कथम् | कि चास्य पूर्व जागर्ति कि वा परममुच्यते
tad ahaṃ jñātum icchāmi daṇḍa utpadyate katham | ki cāsya pūrvaṃ jāgarti ki vā paramam ucyate ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Por isso desejo compreender: como surge o daṇḍa — o poder de punição, a força coercitiva do governo? O que é que primeiro desperta e o põe em movimento, e o que é declarado como seu princípio mais alto e último?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a foundational inquiry of rājadharma: daṇḍa (punitive authority) is not merely force but a moral instrument meant to uphold order. Bhīṣma asks about its origin, its first activating cause, and its supreme guiding principle—implying that legitimate punishment must be grounded in dharma rather than arbitrary power.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship and law, Bhīṣma continues a reflective dialogue by posing a precise question about daṇḍa: how it arises, what initiates its operation, and what is considered its highest end. This sets up a doctrinal explanation of state authority and ethical governance.