Shloka 15
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement
चारयेथाश्ष सततं चारैरविदित: परै: | परीक्षितैर्बहुविधै: स्वराष्ट्प्रतिवासिभि:
cārayethāś ca satataṃ cārair aviditaḥ paraiḥ | parīkṣitair bahuvidhaiḥ svarāṣṭra-prativāsibhiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Tiens l’ennemi sous une surveillance constante par des espions, tout en demeurant inconnu de lui. Emploie de nombreux agents de diverses sortes —déjà éprouvés et habitants de ton propre royaume— afin d’apprendre sans cesse les desseins cachés de l’adversaire, et veille avec soin à ce qu’il ne découvre pas tes secrets.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should practice vigilant, continuous intelligence-gathering through trustworthy, well-tested agents—preferably rooted in the home territory—while ensuring operational secrecy so that the enemy cannot learn the ruler’s own plans.
Vaiśampāyana conveys a counsel of governance: the use of diverse, vetted spies to uncover an enemy’s concealed intentions, coupled with careful measures to keep one’s own affairs hidden from hostile powers.