Shloka 7

Devanagari script

स काक॑ पज्जरे बद्ध्वा विषयं क्षेमदर्शिन: । सर्व पर्यचरद्‌ युक्तः प्रवृत्त्यर्थी पुनः: पुन:

Transliteration

sa kākaṁ pañjare baddhvā viṣayaṁ kṣemadarśinaḥ | sarvaṁ paryacarad yuktaḥ pravṛttyarthī punaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

اس نے ایک کوّے کو پنجرے میں بند کر کے، مملکت کی خیر و حفاظت کو پیشِ نظر رکھتے ہوئے، ضبط و نظم کے ساتھ سارے دیس میں گشت کیا اور بار بار مناسب عمل و تدبیر کے مواقع تلاش کرتا رہا۔

Word by Word

सःhe

काकम्a crow

पञ्जरेin a cage

बद्ध्वाhaving bound / having confined

विषयम्the territory/region; sphere

क्षेमदर्शिनःof the welfare-seeing (one); of the prudent one

सर्वम्everything; all (around)

पर्यचरद्he went about; he roamed around

युक्तःyoked; engaged; intent

प्रवृत्त्यर्थीseeking activity/engagement; desirous of action

पुनःagain

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

भ

भीष्म (Bhīṣma) (speaker)

क

काक (crow)

प

पञ्जर (cage)

व

विषय (realm/territory)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.