Shloka 40
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
चारस्त्वविदित: कार्य आत्मनो5थ परस्य च | पाषण्डांस्तापसादीं श्र परराष्टरे प्रवेशयेत्,“अपने तथा शत्रुके राज्यमें ऐसे गुप्तचर नियुक्त करे जिसको कोई जानता-पहचानता न हो। शत्रुके राज्योंमें पाखण्डवेषधारी और तपस्वी आदिको ही गुप्तचर बनाकर भेजना चाहिये
cāras tv aviditaḥ kārya ātmanaḥ atha parasya ca | pāṣaṇḍāṁs tāpasādīn śatru-pararāṣṭre praveśayet ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: Dapat gumamit ng mga espiya na hindi kilala at hindi madaling makilala, sa loob ng sariling kaharian at sa kaharian ng iba (ng kaaway). Sa mga lupain ng kaaway at sa mga banyagang kaharian, magpadala ng mga ahenteng nagkukunwaring mga erehe o mga asetiko at kahalintulad, upang makakalap ng balita nang hindi naghihinala ang iba. Itinuturing ng payong ito ang pamamahala bilang tungkuling may pag-iingat: ang pag-iingat sa kaharian ay maaaring mangailangan ng lihim, ngunit dapat itong iukol sa seguridad at hindi sa walang habas na pananakit.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should maintain an intelligence system using agents who are not publicly known, and in hostile or foreign territories such agents may adopt socially credible disguises (like ascetics) to gather information discreetly; the aim is protection of the realm through prudent vigilance.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on practical governance, specifically how to deploy spies in one’s own kingdom and infiltrate enemy lands using inconspicuous, trusted-looking personas.