Shloka 7
Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)
स काक॑ पज्जरे बद्ध्वा विषयं क्षेमदर्शिन: । सर्व पर्यचरद् युक्तः प्रवृत्त्यर्थी पुनः: पुन:
sa kākaṁ pañjare baddhvā viṣayaṁ kṣemadarśinaḥ | sarvaṁ paryacarad yuktaḥ pravṛttyarthī punaḥ punaḥ ||
Having confined the crow in a cage, he—one who looked to the welfare and safety of the realm—then moved about through the country in a disciplined manner, repeatedly seeking occasions for proper action and engagement.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler or responsible agent should prioritize the realm’s welfare (kṣema) through disciplined, repeated, hands-on oversight—restraining disruptive elements and actively ensuring orderly conduct.
Bhīṣma describes someone who first captures and cages a crow (a concrete act of restraint), and then repeatedly moves through the territory with disciplined intent, seeking opportunities to act so that the domain remains secure and well-governed.