Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 35

Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)

Devanagari script

चातुर्वर्ण्यप्रमोदाय सुनीतिनयनाय च । दण्डो विधात्रा विहितो धर्मार्थो भुवि रक्षितुम्‌

Transliteration

cāturvarṇya-pramodāya sunīti-nayanāya ca | daṇḍo vidhātrā vihito dharmārtho bhuvi rakṣitum ||

Translation

阿周那说：“为使四姓各安其分、和合自得，并以善政与正行引导众人，造物主制定了惩罚之杖——作为达摩（Dharma）的器具——以护持世间。”

Word by Word

• चातुर्वर्ण्य: for the fourfold social order (of varṇas)
• चातुर्वर्ण्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Singular

• प्रमोदाय: for the delight/joy
• प्रमोदाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमोद
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सुनीति: by good policy/right conduct
• सुनीति: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनीति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• नयनाय: for leading/guidance
• नयनाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नयन
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Singular

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

• दण्डः: punishment/rod (authority of punishment)
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विधात्रा: by the Ordainer/Creator
• विधात्रा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विहितः: ordained/appointed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (धातु) → विहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मार्थः: for the sake of dharma (righteousness)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भुवि: on earth/in the world
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• रक्षितुम्: to protect
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Vidhātṛ (the Creator/Ordainer)
• Daṇḍa (the rod of punishment/royal authority)
• Cāturvarṇya (the four varṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate punitive authority (daṇḍa) is presented as divinely ordained and dharma-oriented: its purpose is not cruelty but protection, moral governance, and the maintenance of social harmony and order.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s discourse on governance and dharma, Arjuna speaks about the necessity of daṇḍa (punishment/royal coercive power), asserting that the Creator established it to safeguard the world and to guide society through sound policy.