Daṇḍa

fines and capital punishment are both declared to be under the authority of the king.

For a minor offense, the fine is fifty;

A king who punishes the unpunishable and fails to punish the punishable, incurs great infamy and goes to hell. // Brh_1,1.77 //

therefore, he should bring all beings to order by means of `Daṇḍa` alone.

The whole world is kept in order by `Daṇḍa`, for a pure man is hard to find;

For his sake, the Lord in the beginning created `Daṇḍa`, his own son, as Dharma, the protector of all beings, formed of the spiritual luster of Brahma.

Censure, verbal rebuke, a monetary fine, and corporal punishment— these may be applied separately or together, according to the offense.

Having considered the offense, the place, the time, the strength, the age, the occupation, and the wealth, he should inflict punishment on the punishable.

For `*dharma*` was created of old by Brahmā in the form of punishment.

One should not injure them, nor revile them, nor offend them, nor speak unpleasant words to them — these kings walk the earth in human form as gods.

For one who has acted contrary to dharma and strayed from worldly convention, I see no restraint other than punishment, O lord of monkey hosts.

Men who have committed sins and been punished by kings come forth purified and reach heaven, like the virtuous who have performed meritorious deeds.