Shloka 21
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
कोकिलस्य वराहस्य मेरो: शून्यस्य वेश्मन: । नटस्य भक्तिमित्रस्य यच्छेयस्तत् समाचरेत्
kokilasya varāhasya meroḥ śūnyasya veśmanaḥ | naṭasya bhaktimitrasya yac chreyas tat samācaret ||
毗湿摩说道：从杜鹃、野猪、须弥山、空屋、伶人，以及忠诚的友人之中——各自所具的卓越之处，凡能导向真实福祉（śreyas）者，国王都应择其善而从之，纳为己用并付诸实行。此教诲劝君主博采众长而不杂取，唯培育能成就真正利益之德。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should be discerning and adopt whatever is truly beneficial (śreyas) from diverse examples—taking virtues wherever they are found and applying them in governance.
In the Śānti Parva discourse on rājadharma, Bhīṣma instructs the king by listing varied models (bird, animal, cosmic mountain, an empty house, an actor, and a loyal friend) and advising him to emulate the best quality each represents.