Vamana Purana — Harihara Revelation, Shloka 41
Harihara Revelation and the Kurukshetra Tirtha Cycle: Sthanu in Vishnu and the Sanctification of Saptasarasvata
मातापितृभ्यां यो दत्तः स दत्तः परिगीयते मित्रपुत्रं मित्रदत्तं कृत्रिमं प्राहुरुत्तमाः
mātāpitṛbhyāṃ yo dattaḥ sa dattaḥ parigīyate mitraputraṃ mitradattaṃ kṛtrimaṃ prāhuruttamāḥ
He who is given (in adoption) by his mother and father is celebrated as a ‘datta’ son. The wise also speak of the ‘kṛtrima’ (artificial) son as one who is the son of a friend, or one given by a friend.
{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
Datta is explicitly ‘given’ by the biological parents (mother and father), emphasizing formal transfer and consent. Kṛtrima is a more ‘constructed’ affiliation—here associated with a friend’s son or one given by a friend—highlighting social arrangement rather than direct parental transfer.
It reflects how adoption/affiliation could occur through trusted social networks. ‘Mitra’ signals reliability and recognized social bonds, which help legitimize a non-biological filial relationship within dharmic society.
Yes. In Dharma traditions, the type of son affects rights and duties—especially śrāddha performance, lineage continuation, and inheritance. Purāṇic lists like this preserve those distinctions in a teaching format.