Shloka 13
च्यवन-कुशिक-संवादः
Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Hospitality, Service, and Lineage Questions
भीष्म उवाच रेतजो वा भवेत् पुत्रस्त्यक्तो वा क्षेत्रजो भवेत् अध्यूढ: समयं भिनत्त्वेत्येतददेव निबोध मे
bhīṣma uvāca | retajo vā bhavet putras tyakto vā kṣetrajo bhavet | adhyūḍhaḥ samayaṃ bhinattv ity etad eva nibodha me ||
Bhishma said: “A son begotten from one’s own seed is indeed one’s own. Likewise, a kṣetraja son—born in the wife through another man for the sake of offspring—becomes the husband’s son when the begetter has relinquished his claim. Understand the same principle with respect to the adhyūḍha son as well: by setting aside (or overriding) the prior agreement, the status changes. The ethical point is that paternity and rights here are determined not merely by biological seed, but by acknowledged consent, renunciation of claim, and the governing social compact (samaya).”
भीष्म उवाच