Shloka 11
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
यत्र श्यामो लोहिताक्षो दण्डश्चरति सूद्यत: । प्रजास्तत्र न मुहान्ते नेता चेत् साधु पश्यति
yatra śyāmo lohitākṣo daṇḍaś carati sūdyataḥ | prajāstatra na muhyante netā cet sādhu paśyati ||
Onde a vara do castigo—sombria e de olhos rubros—circula, sempre pronta a golpear, e onde o governante mantém vigilância atenta e discernidora sobre as faltas, ali o povo não cai em confusão nem em negligência; a ordem se sustenta pela supervisão justa e pela presença crível da disciplina.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective and ethical governance requires the credible presence of punishment (daṇḍa) and the ruler’s careful oversight; when discipline is ready and judgement is vigilant, society avoids moral and civic negligence.
The speaker describes the conditions of a well-governed realm: punishment is actively operative and the ruler attentively observes wrongdoing; as a result, the people do not lapse into disorder or heedlessness.