If punishment had not existed, all creatures would have struck one another. Through fear of punishment, O Yudhishthira, living creatures do not kill one another.
न स्याद् यदीह दण्डो वै प्रमथेयुः परस्परम्। भयाद् दण्डस्य नान्योन्यं मन्ति चैव युधिष्ठिर॥