Shloka 19

Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद

Devanagari script

भिन्दंश्छिन्दन्‌ रुजन्‌ कृन्तन्‌ दारयन्‌ पाटयंस्तथा । घातयन्नभिधावंश्व दण्ड एव चरत्युत

Transliteration

bhindaṁś chindan rujan kṛntan dārayan pāṭayaṁs tathā | ghātayann abhidhāvaṁś ca daṇḍa eva caraty uta ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“惩罚之杖（Daṇḍa）无处不行——分裂、斩断、致痛、砍削、剖开、撕裂，乃至夺命。故而，正是惩罚本身不息地追逐作恶之人，使道德秩序得以施行。”

Word by Word

• भिन्दन्: splitting, piercing
• भिन्दन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• छिन्दन्: cutting, severing
• छिन्दन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रुजन्: hurting, causing pain
• रुजन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुज्
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृन्तन्: cutting, hewing
• कृन्तन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृत्
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दारयन्: tearing, rending
• दारयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दॄ
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाटयन्: causing to split/tear open
• पाटयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पट्
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) शतृ, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• घातयन्: causing to be slain, killing
• घातयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) शतृ, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभिधावन्: running towards, rushing
• अभिधावन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव्
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• दण्डः: punishment; the rod of chastisement
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, alone
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• चरति: moves about, operates
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उत: also, moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Daṇḍa (Punishment/royal chastisement)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That daṇḍa—punitive authority—must actively operate to restrain wrongdoing; it is portrayed as an ever-moving force that protects dharma by deterring and correcting offenders.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on governance and dharma, he personifies punishment as something that ‘runs everywhere,’ describing its harsh actions to emphasize how royal justice pursues and subdues criminals to maintain order.