Shloka 48
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
ईश्वरेण प्रयत्नेन कारणात् क्षत्रियस्य च | दण्डो दत्त: समानात्मा दण्डो हीद॑ सनातनम्
īśvareṇa prayatnena kāraṇāt kṣatriyasya ca | daṇḍo dattaḥ samānātmā daṇḍo hīdaṁ sanātanam ||
毗湿摩说道：“凭主宰之敕令，亦凭人之勤勉作为——且因这正是刹帝利所受命的缘由与职责——檀陀（daṇḍa），其性本公正无私，遂被建立。诚然，此檀陀之法则在世间恒常不灭。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Daṇḍa—lawful coercion and punishment—is a timeless principle meant to uphold dharma. It is to be applied with an impartial nature (samānātmā), and its administration is especially tied to the Kṣatriya’s role in protecting social order, under the overarching ordinance of Īśvara and through human effort.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira about kingship and justice. Here he explains why the power to punish exists, grounding it in divine ordinance, practical effort, and the Kṣatriya’s governing responsibility.