Shloka 14
Putra-Bheda: Kṣetraja, Kṛtaka, Apasada, and Saṃskāra Determinations (पुत्रभेद-निर्णयः)
पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने । पुत्राश्न॒ स्थाविरे भावे न स्त्री स्वातन्त्रयमहति,कुमारावस्थामें स्त्रीकी रक्षा उसका पिता करता है, जवानीमें पति उसका रक्षक है और वृद्धावस्थामें पुत्रणजण उसकी रक्षा करते हैं। अतः स्त्रीको कभी स्वतन्त्र नहीं करना चाहिये
pitā rakṣati kaumāre bhartā rakṣati yauvanae | putrā rakṣanti sthāvire bhāve na strī svātantryam arhati ||
Bhīṣma dijo: “En la niñez, una mujer es protegida por su padre; en la juventud, por su esposo; y en la vejez, por sus hijos. Por ello, no se considera que una mujer sea apta para una autonomía independiente.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a normative dharma-based social model in which a woman’s welfare is framed as being ensured through guardianship—father in childhood, husband in youth, and sons in old age—thereby asserting limited personal autonomy within that traditional framework.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and social conduct. Here he states a rule-like maxim about household and social guardianship roles across stages of life.