Shloka 90
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
अशुभस्य यदा त्वर्ध द्वावंशावनुवर्तते | कृष्टपच्यैव पृथिवी भवत्यर्धफला तथा
aśubhasya yadā tv ardhaṃ dvāv aṃśāv anuvartate | kṛṣṭapacyā eva pṛthivī bhavaty ardha-phalā tathā ||
毗湿摩说：当不祥仅以半分显现——两分随在两分吉祥之后——大地唯有经耕犁播种方出五谷；即便如此，收成也只有一半：一半成熟结果，另一半却遭毁灭。其旨在于：当阿达摩（adharma）虽被削弱而未被根除，繁荣便成了有条件且脆弱之物——人的劳作能得其果，却总有损失伴随所得。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when evil is reduced and good predominates, lingering adharma still weakens outcomes: prosperity depends on effort and remains insecure, so society must actively uphold dharma to prevent loss alongside gain.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Shanti Parva, he describes a condition of the world where auspiciousness is present but not complete; the land produces only through cultivation, and even then only half the crop succeeds while the rest is ruined—an image of moral imbalance affecting material welfare.