Cyavana’s Water-Vow and the Ethics of Cohabitation (स्नेह-सम्वास-धर्मः)
हरेज्ज्येष्ठ: प्रधानांशमेकं तुल्यासु तेष्वपि | मध्यमो मध्यमं चैव कनीयांस्तु कनीयसम्
harej jyeṣṭhaḥ pradhānāṁśam ekaṁ tulyāsu teṣv api | madhyamo madhyamaṁ caiva kanīyāṁs tu kanīyasam ||
समान स्थिति वाली स्त्रियों से उत्पन्न पुत्रों में भी जो ज्येष्ठ है, वह एक प्रधान (ज्येष्ठ) अंश ले; मध्यम पुत्र मध्यम और कनिष्ठ पुत्र कनिष्ठ भाग ले।
भीष्म उवाच
Inheritance among sons of equal maternal status should reflect seniority: the eldest is entitled to a principal share, while the middle and youngest receive proportionately lesser shares, maintaining fairness and familial order.
In the Anushasana Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhishma lays down a rule of partition regarding sons born of women of equal rank, specifying how shares may be allocated by birth order.