Shloka 30
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
यूयं भड्भास्वनापत्यास्तापसस्येतरे सुता: । कश्यपस्य सुराश्चैव असुराश्च सुतास्तथा
yūyaṁ bhaḍbhāsvanāpatyās tāpasasyetare sutāḥ | kaśyapasya surāś caiva asurāś ca sutās tathā ||
Bhishma said: “You are the sons of Bhaḍbhāsva, while the other brothers are the sons of an ascetic. Given such differing origins, how could mutual affection remain steady among you? Even the gods and the asuras are all sons of Kaśyapa, and yet love and concord do not arise between them.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Shared birth or kinship alone does not guarantee affection; differences of origin, disposition, and values can fracture unity. Bhishma underscores that harmony requires cultivated dharma and mutual restraint, not merely a common family label.
Bhishma addresses a group of brothers, pointing out that they have different parentage (some sons of Bhaḍbhāsva, others of an ascetic). He uses the cosmic example of the Devas and Asuras—both born of Kaśyapa—to show that even close kin can become enemies, explaining why love may not naturally persist among them.