Shloka 24
Sandhi–Vigraha in Āpada: The Mouse and the Cat (सन्धिविग्रहापदि—मूषकमार्जारसंवादः)
कायव्य: कर्मणा तेन महतीं सिद्धिमाप्तवान् । साधूनामाचरन् क्षेमं दस्यून् पापान्निवर्तयम्
kāyavyaḥ karmaṇā tena mahatīṃ siddhim āptavān | sādhūnām ācaran kṣemaṃ dasyūn pāpān nivartayan ||
Bhishma said: “By that deed, Kāyavya attained a very great spiritual success. For, while promoting the welfare and security of the virtuous, he also turned sinful bandits back from wrongdoing.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma-bearing action is twofold: it safeguards the welfare (kṣema) of the virtuous and actively restrains or reforms wrongdoers. Such socially protective and morally corrective conduct yields great siddhi (high attainment/merit).
Bhishma cites Kāyavya as an example: through a particular righteous deed, he achieved great success because he ensured the security of good people and prevented bandits from continuing in sinful acts.