Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)
ये त्वादानपरा एव वसन्ति भवतो गृहे । अभूतिकामा भूतानां तादृशैमेंडभिसंहितम्
ye tv ādānaparā eva vasanti bhavato gṛhe | abhūtikāmā bhūtānāṃ tādṛśair meḍabhisaṃhitam ||
ভীষ্ম বললেন—যারা কেবল গ্রহণেই তৎপর, যারা তোমারই গৃহে বাস করে তোমার কোষ লুণ্ঠন করে, তারা প্রজার মঙ্গল ও সমৃদ্ধি চায় না। এমন লোকেরা স্বভাব ও আচরণে আমার সঙ্গে বৈর স্থাপন করেছে।
भीष्म उवाच
Bhishma warns that those who live close to power yet are driven by greed and appropriation undermine the welfare of the people; a ruler should recognize such internal predators and not mistake proximity for loyalty or public-spiritedness.
In Bhishma’s instruction on governance and dharma, he identifies a class of insiders who dwell in the ruler’s own household while exploiting his resources; he characterizes them as anti-welfare and notes that association with such people constitutes enmity toward him and toward righteous rule.