Mahabharata 12.79.35

ब्राह्मणो यदि वा वैश्यः शूद्रो वा राजसत्तमदस्युभ्योऽथ प्रजा रक्षेद्दण्डं धर्मेण धारयन्

brāhmaṇo yadi vā vaiśyaḥ śūdro vā rājasattamadasyubhyo'tha prajā rakṣeddaṇḍaṃ dharmeṇa dhārayan

Our plain-language meaning of this verse is waiting for scholar review.