Shloka 103
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
अतः विज्ञ क्षत्रियनरेशको चाहिये कि वह सदा दण्डनीतिको सामने रखकर उसके द्वारा अप्राप्त वस्तुको पानेकी इच्छा करे और प्राप्त हुई वस्तुकी रक्षा करे। इसके द्वारा प्रजाके योगक्षेम सिद्ध होते हैं, इसमें संशय नहीं है ।।
ataḥ vijña kṣatriya-nareśena sadā daṇḍanītiṃ puraskṛtya tayā aprāpta-vastu-prāptim icchet, prāptaṃ ca vastu rakṣet. tayā prajānāṃ yoga-kṣemāḥ pravartante, nātra saṃśayaḥ. lokasya sīmanta-karī maryādā loka-bhāvinī; samyaṅ-nītā daṇḍanītir yathā mātā yathā pitā.
毗湿摩说道：“因此，明智的刹帝利之王应常以檀陀尼提（daṇḍanīti，刑政之学）为先：凭此求取未得之物，守护既得之物。由此，民众之‘瑜伽与刹摩’——福祉与安宁——得以运转兴起；此无疑也。檀陀尼提若施行得当，便能确立社会秩序之疆界，维护正当之分寸，滋养天下；于百姓而言，它如母如父——护佑、整饬、扶持。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s primary ethical duty is to govern through properly administered daṇḍanīti—using lawful discipline to secure what is needed for the realm and to protect what has been gained—so that the people’s welfare and security (yoga-kṣema) are reliably maintained.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising the ruler: effective, restrained punishment and governance create social boundaries, uphold moral-legal limits (maryādā), and function like parental protection for the populace.