[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jolly-1896) › c9.90 # Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c9.90 Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c9.90 - **Language:** English ### [c9.90](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jolly-1896.c9.90) § 43. \*The punishments.\* The utility and necessity of punishment (\*daṇḍa\*) has been vehemently and often extravagantly emphasised. The word Daṇḍa, really meaning "stick," is said to be derived from the root \*dam\* "to restrain" (Gaut. 11, 28), and to bind down peoples by means of punishments appears to be the principal duty of a good ruler, who for that reason is called Daṇḍadhara “the holder of Daṇḍa,” i.e. the power of punishment, and is called an incarnation of Yama, the judge of the dead souls. If the king ceases to punish the subjects who swerve from the path of duty, the whole world will be destroyed, Brahmans will leave their brother Brahmans, Kṣatriyas their brother Kṣatriyas, the Vaiśyas will not do their work, the Śūdras will rule the world and the strong will roast the weak on the spit like fish. The punishment is identical with Dharma; it is the dark, red-eyed god, the son of the creator of the world under whose mighty rule the world feels itself secure. Punishment protects mankind and keeps watch when mankind sleep. The whole world is held in order by means of punishment, for a faultless man is very rare; even the gods and demigods are driven to perform their duty by the fear of punishment (M. 7, 14-30; Vi. 3,95; Y 1,353-356; Nār. I, 1,1 etc.).¹ - [Previous: c9.89](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jolly-1896.c9.89) - [Next: c9.91](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jolly-1896.c9.91) - [Up: c9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jolly-1896.c9) ## Linked texts (5) - [Vaiṣṇava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.visnu.3.95) — Viṣṇu, Sanskrit - [Mānava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu.7.14) — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit - [Yājñavalkyasmṛti](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.yajnavalkya.1.353) — Yājñavalkya, Sanskrit - [Gautamadharmasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.kalpa.dharma.gautama.11.28) — Gautama (dharmasūtrakāra), Sanskrit - [Nāradasmṛti](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.narada) — Nārada, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jolly-1896.c9.90](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jolly-1896.c9.90) · Pramāṇa