Shloka 18
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
एतान् देवान् नमस्यन्ति प्रतापप्रणता जना: । जो देवता दूसरोंका वध करनेवाले हैं
etān devān namasyanti pratāpa-praṇatā janāḥ | na brahmāṇaṃ na dhātāraṃ na pūṣāṇaṃ kathaṃcana ||
阿周那说道：“众人因其威势而俯首，礼敬这些天神；然而他们却丝毫不敬礼梵天（婆罗摩），也不敬礼护持者达特利（Dhātṛ），亦不敬礼滋养者普尚（Pūṣan）。”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse critiques a tendency in society to revere deities primarily for their coercive power—those who punish or destroy—while neglecting reverence for principles of creation, sustenance, and nourishment (symbolized by Brahmā, Dhātṛ, and Pūṣan). It raises an ethical question about whether worship is guided by fear of power or by appreciation of sustaining goodness.
In the Shānti Parva’s reflective discourse, Arjuna speaks about human religious behavior: people bow to certain gods out of awe at their might, but do not similarly honor Brahmā, Dhātṛ, or Pūṣan. The statement functions as an observation about social values and the psychology of devotion.