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:

Transliteration

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

Translation

Ang parusa ay itinatadhana upang mapanatili ang kaayusan ng mga matuwid at may mabuting asal, hindi bilang paraan upang paramihin ang sariling yaman. At yaong mga nang-aapi at nanggugulo sa mga banal at mararangal—ang kamatayan mismo ang itinuturing na nararapat na parusa para sa kanila.

Word by Word

• शिष्ट्यर्थम्: for the purpose of disciplining the well-behaved / for instruction
• शिष्ट्यर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्ट्यर्थ (शिष्ट + अर्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विहितः: prescribed, ordained
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डः: punishment
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• वृद्ध्यर्थम्: for the purpose of increase (of wealth/power)
• वृद्ध्यर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध्यर्थ (वृद्धि + अर्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विनिश्चयः: determination, settled rule/decision
• विनिश्चयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शिष्टान्: the well-behaved / the cultured (persons)
• शिष्टान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रबाधन्ते: harass, oppress
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-बाध्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

• दण्डः: punishment
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तेषाम्: for them / of them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वधः: killing, execution
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्मृतः: is considered/declared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

कायव्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• śiṣṭāḥ (the virtuous/cultured people)
• daṇḍa (punishment/royal chastisement)

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.