Daṇḍanīti
Daṇḍanīti · daṇḍa-nīti, “the science of rule and punishment”
Grammar: feminine noun; a compound of daṇḍa (the rod, punishment, the king’s power to restrain) and nīti (guidance, policy, from the root nī, to lead): “the guidance of the rod”.
Meaning: the science of rule and punishment, statecraft; the knowledge by which a king governs and by which artha, wealth and prosperity, is gained.
In the scriptures: among his questions to Maitreya, Vidura asks how a man should gain the purushārthas, dharma, artha, kāma and moksha, so that none opposes another, and asks him to describe the methods of trade, daṇḍanīti and the hearing of śāstra (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 3, Chapter 7).
Prahlāda tells the daitya boys that the Veda teaches the three purushārthas, and ātma-vidyā, karma-vidyā, tarka-śāstra, daṇḍa-nīti and many kinds of vṛtti-vidyā, the crafts of livelihood, all subject to the three guṇas; “but in my view the one truth is for a person to offer his all to Purushottama, who dwells within him as antaryāmī and is his well-wisher” (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 7, Chapter 6).
At the close of his teaching, Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Uddhava: “My child, men gain moksha by jñāna, dharma by karma, the fulfilment of desires by yoga, and artha by trade, daṇḍanīti and the like. But for you, I myself am all four of these aims” (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 11, Chapter 29).
In the Bhavishya Purāṇa. Bhagavān Sūrya said to Daṇḍanāyaka: “You are the leader who can punish the people. You lead by daṇḍanīti. That is why you are Daṇḍanāyaka. You also write down the pāpa and puṇya of the people” (Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 124).
Related terms: Daṇḍa · Nīti · Artha · Rājadharma · Vārtā
Sources
- Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 3, Chapter 7; Skandha 7, Chapter 6; Skandha 11, Chapter 29
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 124