Shloka 10

Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)

Devanagari script

असम्मोहाय मर्त्यनामर्थसंरक्षणाय च | मर्यादा स्थापिता लोके दण्डसंज्ञा विशाम्पते,प्रजानाथ! मनुष्योंको प्रमादसे बचाने और उनके धनकी रक्षा करनेके लिये लोकमें जो मर्यादा स्थापित की गयी है, उसीका नाम दण्ड है

Transliteration

asammohāya martyānām artha-saṁrakṣaṇāya ca | maryādā sthāpitā loke daṇḍa-saṁjñā viśāmpate prajānātha |

Translation

اے رعایا کے نگہبان! انسانوں کو غفلت سے بچانے اور ان کے مال کی حفاظت کے لیے دنیا میں جو حدِّ نظم قائم کی گئی ہے، اسی کو ‘دَण्ड’ کہا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

असम्मोहायfor non-delusion / for preventing confusion

मर्त्यानाम्of mortals / of men

अर्थसंरक्षणायfor the protection of wealth/property

चand

मर्यादाa boundary/limit; rule; restraint

स्थापिताestablished / set up

लोकेin the world

दण्डसंज्ञाhaving the designation/name 'daṇḍa' (punishment/rod)

विशाम्पतेO lord of the people/subjects

प्रजानाथO protector/lord of creatures (subjects)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

daṇḍa (punitive authority)

maryādā (social-legal boundary/order)

martyāḥ (mortals/people)

prajā (subjects)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Daṇḍa (punitive authority) is justified as a dharmic instrument: it establishes maryādā (limits and order) so that people do not fall into negligence and wrongdoing, and so that their property and material interests are protected.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses a ruler-like figure (prajānātha/viśāmpati) and defines daṇḍa as the socially established mechanism of restraint and protection—linking political authority to ethical responsibility toward subjects.