Shloka 20

Sandhi–Vigraha in Āpada: The Mouse and the Cat (सन्धिविग्रहापदि—मूषकमार्जारसंवादः)

Devanagari script

शिष्ट्यर्थ विहितो दण्डो न वृद्धयर्थ विनिश्चय: । ये च शिष्टान्‌ प्रबाधन्ते दण्डस्तेषां वध: स्मृत:,दण्डका विधान दुष्टोंक दमनके लिये है, अपना धन बढ़ानेके लिये नहीं। जो शिष्ट पुरुषोंको सताते हैं, उनका वध ही उनके लिये दण्ड माना गया है

Transliteration

śiṣṭyartha vihito daṇḍo na vṛddhyartha viniścayaḥ | ye ca śiṣṭān prabādhante daṇḍas teṣāṁ vadhaḥ smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

దండం విధించబడింది శిష్టుల ధర్మవ్యవస్థను కాపాడుటకే గాని, ధనవృద్ధి సాధనంగా కాదు. శిష్టులను వేధించి పీడించువారికి వధమే తగిన దండమని స్మృతిలో చెప్పబడింది.

Word by Word

शिष्ट्यर्थम्for the purpose of disciplining the well-behaved / for instruction

विहितःprescribed, ordained

दण्डःpunishment

नnot

वृद्ध्यर्थम्for the purpose of increase (of wealth/power)

विनिश्चयःdetermination, settled rule/decision

येthose who

चand

शिष्टान्the well-behaved / the cultured (persons)

प्रबाधन्तेharass, oppress

दण्डःpunishment

तेषाम्for them / of them

वधःkilling, execution

स्मृतःis considered/declared

Speaker

कायव्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

śiṣṭāḥ (the virtuous/cultured people)

daṇḍa (punishment/royal chastisement)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Daṇḍa (punitive authority) is justified only as a dharmic instrument to protect social-moral order and the virtuous; it must not be used for the ruler’s profit. Severe punishment, even execution, is sanctioned for those who violently oppress the righteous.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, the speaker states a governing principle: punishment exists to safeguard śiṣṭa conduct and restrain wrongdoers, not to enrich the authority; those who persecute the virtuous are deemed deserving of the ultimate penalty.