Shloka 8
Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)
उन्होंने क्षेमदर्शीके सारे देशमें, उस राज्यका समाचार जाननेके लिये एक कौएको पिंजड़ेमें बाँधकर साथ ले बड़ी सावधानीके साथ बारंबार चक्कर लगाया ।। अधीध्वं वायसीं विद्यां शंसन्ति मम वायसा: । अनागतमतीतं च यच्च सम्प्रति वर्तते,घूमते समय वे लोगोंसे कहते थे, 'सज्जनो! तुमलोग मुझसे वायसी विद्या (कौओंकी बोली समझनेकी कला) सीखो। मैंने सीखी है, इसलिये कौए मुझसे भूत, भविष्य तथा इस समय जो वर्तमान है, वह सब बता देते हैं!
adhīdhvaṁ vāyasīṁ vidyāṁ śaṁsanti mama vāyasāḥ | anāgatam atītaṁ ca yac ca samprati vartate ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Upang malaman ang balita ng buong lupain, nagdala sila ng isang uwak na nakagapos sa hawla, at maingat na nag-ikot nang paulit-ulit. Habang naglalakbay, ipinahahayag nila sa mga tao: ‘O mga mabubuting tao! Matuto kayo sa akin ng vayasī-vidyā—ang sining ng pag-unawa sa wika ng mga uwak. Natutuhan ko ito; kaya sinasabi sa akin ng mga uwak ang lahat: ang nakaraan, ang darating, at ang nagaganap ngayon.’”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how claims of extraordinary knowledge (here, understanding crows) can be used to gain information and authority. Ethically, it invites reflection on rajadharma: prudent governance may require vigilance and intelligence, but public manipulation through deceptive spectacle risks undermining trust and dharmic integrity.
A group moves around repeatedly and carefully, publicly urging people to learn ‘crow-speech’ from them. They claim that because they know this art, crows reveal to them the past, the future, and the present—implying a method to collect news and assess the state of the realm while impressing or influencing the populace.