Adhyāya 208: Aṅgirasī-kanyāḥ
Enumeration of Aṅgiras’ daughters and attribute-names
सुयुक्तचारो नृपति: सर्व धर्मेण पश्यति | श्रीक्ष राज्यं च दण्डश्ष क्षत्रियाणां द्विजोत्तम,विप्रवर! राजा जनकने सब ओर गुप्तचर लगा रखे हैं, अतः उनके द्वारा वे धर्मानुसार सबपर दृष्टि रखते हैं। सम्पत्तिका उपार्जन, राज्यकी रक्षा तथा अपराधियोंको दण्ड देना--ये क्षत्रियोंके कर्तव्य हैं
suyuktacāro nṛpatiḥ sarvaṃ dharmeṇa paśyati | śrīkṣa rājyaṃ ca daṇḍaś ca kṣatriyāṇāṃ dvijottama ||
দ্বিজোত্তম! ৰজা জনকে চাৰিওফালে সুসংগঠিত গুপ্তচৰ-ব্যৱস্থা ৰাখিছে; সেয়ে তেওঁ ধৰ্মানুসাৰে সকলোকে লক্ষ্য কৰে। সম্পদ উপাৰ্জন, ৰাজ্য ৰক্ষা আৰু অপৰাধীক দণ্ড দিয়া—এইবোৰেই ক্ষত্ৰিয়ৰ কৰ্তব্য।
व्याध उवाच
The verse teaches rājadharma: a ruler must govern through dharma—maintaining prosperity, protecting the realm, and applying daṇḍa (lawful punishment) when needed. Surveillance/intelligence is presented as a legitimate tool when aligned with righteousness.
In the Vana Parva’s dialogue where the hunter instructs a brāhmaṇa, he explains how a king can ‘see’ and manage the kingdom: by properly organized agents and by fulfilling the kṣatriya’s responsibilities—welfare, protection, and justice.