Whistle-blower Protection Policy in Ancient Bharat

Bhishma spoke to Yudhishthira from his bed of arrows. He said a king must shield honest men. These men tell secret truths. They warn the king when theft and corruption happens. They show who steals from the king.

Bhishma narrated a story of old times. There was a king of Kosala named Kshemadarshina. A wise sage named Kalakavrikshiya visited him. The sage always carried with him  a crow in a cage. He claimed the crow knew all events of the past. The crow revealed who stole money. The sage walked through the kingdom. He spoke to ministers and servants. He said, 'I know your secret crimes.' He said the crow told him the truth. He accused them of stealing from the king. The ministers became afraid.

They knew the king would be angry. They wanted to silence the truth. At night, they killed the crow. They thought this would stop the sage. But the sage did not leave. He went to the king with courage. He said, 'O king, I seek shelter. Some of your servants are thieves. They killed my crow last night. They wish to hide their crimes.'

The king said, 'Speak freely, O sage. I will not harm you. I value honest words.' The sage said, 'O king, listen carefully. Do not punish them all at once. They might unite against you. Test them one by one. Remove them slowly from power.'

A king can be kind like water. A king can be fierce like fire. Honest words save the kingdom. Corrupt men destroy it. Without honest informants, the treasury empties. Without them, evil grows bold.

The sage said, 'O king, your land is dense with both virtue and vice. Good men suffer while wicked thrive. This must end. A king must protect the honest. He must reward the brave informants.'

The king agreed with respect. He said, 'I will change my ways. I will guard those who speak truth. I will protect them from harm. I will not fear honest words.' Over time, the king did just that. He found each corrupt minister quietly. He removed them. He saved the kingdom from ruin. He honored the sage’s wisdom. He protected the whistle-blowers.

The kingdom became safe and bright. Fairness bloomed like fresh flowers. Traders felt secure. Subjects found peace. The king ruled like a careful gardener. He pulled out weeds of deceit. He let true flowers grow tall. Everyone praised his just rule.

Bhishma ended his story. Yudhishthira promised to follow this path. He would protect those who reveal wrong. He would hide their names. He would value them like precious gems. With them, he would guard his land. Without them, darkness would grow.

With this policy, whistle-blowers found safety. Wise rulers cherished their words. They shielded them from mighty enemies. They spread justice across the land. They ensured the treasury stayed full. They preserved peace and order. In this way dharma was followed.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi