A person becomes great not by sitting on some high seat, but through higher qualities. A crow does not become an eagle by simply sitting on the top of a palatial building.

The saying contrasts outward status with inner merit: greatness is not conferred by occupying an elevated position, prestigious office, or impressive setting, but by cultivating “higher qualities” such as wisdom, discipline, courage, and ethical conduct. The image of a crow perched atop a palace underscores the point that mere proximity to grandeur does not transform one’s nature; appearance and rank can be borrowed, but character cannot. Read in a political-moral key often associated with Chanakya’s reputation, it warns rulers and aspirants alike not to confuse titles and trappings with capability, and it urges audiences to judge leadership by competence and virtue rather than by ceremonial elevation.