Shloka 73
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
मनु: प्रजानां रक्षार्थ क्षुपाय प्रददावसिम् | क्षुपाज्जग्राह चेक्ष्वाकुरिक्ष्वाकोश्व पुरूरवा:
manuḥ prajānāṃ rakṣārthaṃ kṣupāya pradadāv asim | kṣupāj jagrāha cekṣvākur ikṣvākoś ca purūravāḥ ||
毗湿摩说：为护持众生，摩奴将宝剑赐予克苏帕（Kṣupa）。克苏帕传与伊克什瓦库（Ikṣvāku），伊克什瓦库又传与普鲁罗婆斯（Purūravas）。其旨在于：当人民违越法（dharma）时，君王当依其轻重，运用由“剑”所证明的惩罚——亦即强制之权——以守护法与世间秩序；故王者之纪律之器，循诸王正统而相承。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is preserved not only by moral instruction but also by measured royal enforcement (daṇḍa). When dharma is violated, the ruler must apply proportionate punishment to protect society and uphold order.
Bhishma recounts a lineage-story of royal authority: Manu hands over the sword (symbol of punitive power) to Kṣupa; it then passes to Ikṣvāku and onward to Purūravas, illustrating the inherited duty of kings to protect subjects through just discipline.