Shloka 34

Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)

Devanagari script

सर्वो दण्डजितो लोको दुर्लभो हि शुचिर्जन: । दण्डस्य हि भयाद्‌ भीतो भोगायैव प्रवर्तते

Transliteration

sarvo daṇḍajito loko durlabho hi śucir janaḥ | daṇḍasya hi bhayād bhīto bhogāyaiva pravartate ||

Translation

阿周那说：“整个世界都被惩罚所制约；天性本然清净之人，实难得见。正因畏惧惩罚，人们才自我克制，循行正当之道，转向有节制的享受，而非无法无度的冲动。”

Word by Word

• सर्वः: entire/whole
• सर्वः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डजितः: subdued/controlled by punishment
• दण्डजितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्डजित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकः: world/people
• लोकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्लभः: rare/hard to find
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• शुचिः: pure
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनः: person
• जनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डस्य: of punishment
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• भीतः: afraid
• भीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भोगाय: for enjoyment
• भोगाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• एव: only/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• प्रवर्तते: acts/engages (in conduct)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√वृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• daṇḍa (punishment/royal discipline)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That social order largely depends on daṇḍa (punitive authority): since truly pure people are rare, fear of punishment is what commonly restrains wrongdoing and keeps people within moral and legal limits.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shānti Parva’s discussion on governance and dharma, Arjuna voices a pragmatic observation about human conduct: most people follow rules not from innate purity but because discipline and punishment deter transgression.