Shloka 12
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
खलात् क्षेत्रात् तथा रामाद् यतो वाप्युपपद्यते | आखयातव्यं नृपस्यैतत् पृच्छते5पृच्छतेडपि वा
khalāt kṣetrāt tathā rāmād yato vāpy upapadyate | ākhyātavyaṃ nṛpasyaitat pṛcchate'pṛcchate'pi vā ||
खलिहान से, खेत से, बगीचे से अथवा जहाँ से भी अन्न मिल सके, वहीं से वह केवल भोजनमात्र के लिए अन्न उठा ले। उसके बाद राजा पूछे या न पूछे, वह उसके पास जाकर यह बात उसे बता दे।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Take only what is necessary for survival and maintain transparency with lawful authority: even if the king does not question you, you should voluntarily disclose the relevant facts.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he describes a rule of conduct regarding obtaining food-grain from available sources and emphasizes that the person should then inform the king, regardless of whether the king initiates an inquiry.