Shloka 26
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
दशधर्मगतेभ्यो यद् वसु बह्मल्पमेव च । तदाददीत सहसा पौराणां रक्षणाय वै
daśa-dharma-gatebhyo yad vasu bahv-alpam eva ca | tad ādadīta sahasā paurāṇāṁ rakṣaṇāya vai ||
மத்தன், உன்மத்தன் முதலிய தண்டனைக்குரிய பத்து வகையினரிடமிருந்து அபராதமாகக் கிடைக்கும் செல்வம்—அது குறையாயினும் மிகையாயினும்—நகரவாசிகளின் பாதுகாப்பிற்காகவே உடனே பெறப்பட வேண்டும்.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Punishment and fines are justified only as instruments of public protection: wealth taken from offenders should be promptly directed to safeguarding the community, not to the ruler’s private benefit.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on statecraft: when fines are collected from certain punishable categories of people, the king should take that wealth immediately and use it for the security of the citizens.