Shloka 77
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
यदि राजा दण्डनीतिका उत्तम रीतिसे प्रयोग करे तो वह चारों वर्णोकी अपने-अपने धर्ममें बलपूर्वक लगाती है और उन्हें अधर्मकी ओर जानेसे रोक देती है ।।
cāturvarṇye svakarmasthe maryādānām asaṅkare | daṇḍanītikṛte kṣeme prajānām akuto bhaye ||
Wika ni Bhishma: Kapag ang hari ay mahusay na naglalapat ng daṇḍanīti—ang agham ng parusa at pamamahala—malakas nitong itinatatag ang apat na varṇa sa kani-kanilang dharma at tungkulin, at pinipigil silang lumihis tungo sa adharma. Kaya, sa bisa ng daṇḍanīti, kapag ang apat na varṇa ay nananatiling abala sa wastong gawain at hindi nalilito ang mga hanggahan ng dharma, ang bayan ay namumuhay nang panatag—walang takot sa lahat ng dako at umuunlad. Sa gayong kalagayan, ang tatlong “dalawang ulit na isinilang” (dvija) ay ayon sa tuntunin na nagsisikap na ingatan ang kalusugan at kagalingan. O Yudhiṣṭhira, dito nakasalalay ang kaligayahan ng tao; dapat mo itong maunawaan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Good governance (daṇḍanīti) is meant to secure dharma by keeping people established in their proper duties, preventing social and moral confusion, and thereby creating public fearlessness and welfare; this stable order is presented as a basis for human happiness.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on statecraft and dharma, Bhīṣma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, explaining how a king’s proper use of punishment and policy maintains social order (cāturvarṇya in svakarma), prevents dharma-boundaries from collapsing, and ensures the people’s security and prosperity.