Shloka 11

Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)

Devanagari script

यत्र श्यामो लोहिताक्षो दण्डश्चरति सूद्यत: । प्रजास्तत्र न मुहान्ते नेता चेत्‌ साधु पश्यति

Transliteration

yatra śyāmo lohitākṣo daṇḍaś carati sūdyataḥ | prajāstatra na muhyante netā cet sādhu paśyati ||

Translation

凡刑杖——幽黑而赤目——常行于世，随时待击；又凡君主警醒明察，严密观照诸罪过者，其民不至纷乱怠惰；以公正之督察与可信之纪律在场，秩序得以维系。

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र
• Form: indeclinable (locative adverb)

• श्यामः: black/dark
• श्यामः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• लोहिताक्षः: red-eyed (one whose eyes are red)
• लोहिताक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोहिताक्ष
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• दण्डः: punishment; the rod (of chastisement)
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• चरति: moves about; operates; is applied
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: present tense (lat), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• सूद्यतः: ready/intent (to punish); prepared
• सूद्यतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूद्यत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular (present participle, passive/ātmanepada sense: 'being ready/intent')

• प्रजाः: subjects; people
• प्रजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: indeclinable (locative adverb)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: indeclinable (negation)

• मुह्यन्ते: become deluded; go astray; are negligent
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह्
• Form: present tense (lat), 3rd person, plural, ātmanepada

• नेता: leader; ruler
• नेता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेतृ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• चेत्: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत्
• Form: indeclinable (conditional particle)

• साधु: well; properly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु
• Form: indeclinable (adverb)

• पश्यति: sees; observes; keeps watch
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: present tense (lat), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• daṇḍa (punishment/rod of governance)
• netā (ruler/leader)
• prajā (subjects/people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective and ethical governance requires the credible presence of punishment (daṇḍa) and the ruler’s careful oversight; when discipline is ready and judgement is vigilant, society avoids moral and civic negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker describes the conditions of a well-governed realm: punishment is actively operative and the ruler attentively observes wrongdoing; as a result, the people do not lapse into disorder or heedlessness.