महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-15, verse-2

दण्डः शास्ति प्रजाः सर्वा दण्ड एवाभिरक्षति ।
दण्डः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति दण्डं धर्मं विदुर्बुधाः ॥२॥

2. daṇḍaḥ śāsti prajāḥ sarvā daṇḍa evābhirakṣati ,
daṇḍaḥ supteṣu jāgarti daṇḍaṁ dharmaṁ vidurbudhāḥ.

2. daṇḍaḥ śāsti prajāḥ sarvāḥ daṇḍaḥ eva abhirakṣati
daṇḍaḥ supteṣu jāgarti daṇḍam dharmam viduḥ budhāḥ

2. daṇḍaḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ śāsti daṇḍaḥ eva abhirakṣati
daṇḍaḥ supteṣu jāgarti budhāḥ daṇḍam dharmam viduḥ

2. Punishment (daṇḍa) governs all subjects; punishment alone fully protects. Punishment remains vigilant while people sleep. The wise understand punishment (daṇḍa) to be natural law (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa), the royal scepter (symbolizing authority) (rod, stick, punishment, scepter)

• शास्ति (śāsti) - governs, rules (governs, rules, punishes, teaches)

• प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects, people (subjects, people, progeny)

• सर्वाः (sarvāḥ) - all (all, every, whole)

• दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa) (rod, stick, punishment, scepter)

• एव (eva) - alone, indeed (indeed, only, just)

• अभिरक्षति (abhirakṣati) - fully protects (protects, guards, preserves)

• दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa) (rod, stick, punishment, scepter)

• सुप्तेषु (supteṣu) - while people are asleep, among those who are sleeping (among the sleeping ones, in those asleep, when asleep)

• जागर्ति (jāgarti) - is vigilant, stays awake (is awake, watches, is vigilant)

• दण्डम् (daṇḍam) - punishment (daṇḍa) (punishment, scepter)

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma) (dharma, law, righteousness)

• विदुः (viduḥ) - know, understand (they know, they understand)

• बुधाः (budhāḥ) - the wise (the wise, learned ones)

Words meanings and morphology

दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa), the royal scepter (symbolizing authority) (rod, stick, punishment, scepter)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - stick, staff, rod, scepter, punishment, fine, penalty, discipline

From root `daṇḍ` (to punish).

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

Note: Subject of verbs.

शास्ति (śāsti) - governs, rules (governs, rules, punishes, teaches)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of śās

Present tense, 3rd person singular

Root `śās`, parasmaipada, present tense (laṭ lakāra), 3rd singular.

Root: śās (class 2)

प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects, people (subjects, people, progeny)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of prajā

prajā - progeny, offspring, subjects, people, creation

From `pra-jan` (to generate).

Prefix: pra

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Object of `śāsti`.

सर्वाः (sarvāḥ) - all (all, every, whole)

(pronoun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, entire

Declines like an adjective.

दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa) (rod, stick, punishment, scepter)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - stick, staff, rod, scepter, punishment, fine, penalty, discipline

From root `daṇḍ` (to punish).

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

Note: Subject of `abhirakṣati`.

एव (eva) - alone, indeed (indeed, only, just)

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

अभिरक्षति (abhirakṣati) - fully protects (protects, guards, preserves)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of abhirakṣ

Present tense, 3rd person singular

Root `rakṣ` (to protect) with prefix `abhi` (towards, completely). Parasmaipada, present (laṭ lakāra), 3rd singular.

Prefix: abhi

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa) (rod, stick, punishment, scepter)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - stick, staff, rod, scepter, punishment, fine, penalty, discipline

From root `daṇḍ` (to punish).

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

Note: Subject of `jāgarti`.

सुप्तेषु (supteṣu) - while people are asleep, among those who are sleeping (among the sleeping ones, in those asleep, when asleep)

(participle)

Locative, masculine, plural of supta

supta - asleep, sleeping, dormant

Past Passive Participle

From root `svap` (to sleep).

Root: svap (class 1)

Note: Functions adverbially, indicating time or circumstance.

जागर्ति (jāgarti) - is vigilant, stays awake (is awake, watches, is vigilant)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of jāgṛ

Present tense, 3rd person singular

Root `jāgṛ`, parasmaipada, present tense (laṭ lakāra), 3rd singular.

Root: jāgṛ (class 2)

दण्डम् (daṇḍam) - punishment (daṇḍa) (punishment, scepter)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - stick, staff, rod, scepter, punishment, fine, penalty, discipline

From root `daṇḍ` (to punish).

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

Note: Object of `viduḥ`.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma) (dharma, law, righteousness)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty, virtue, moral law, religious ordinance

From root `dhṛ` (to uphold, sustain).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Second object of `viduḥ`, treated as a predicate accusative ("know X as Y").

विदुः (viduḥ) - know, understand (they know, they understand)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (perfect endings) (liṭ) of vid

Perfect tense (or special present tense), 3rd person plural

From root `vid` (to know), 3rd plural. A unique verb that uses perfect endings for present tense meaning.

Root: vid (class 2)

बुधाः (budhāḥ) - the wise (the wise, learned ones)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of budha

budha - wise, learned, intelligent person, sage

From root `budh` (to awaken, know).

Root: budh (class 1)

Note: Subject of `viduḥ`.