Shloka 44
गोमूल्यनिर्णयः — The Determination of Value through the Cow
Nahuṣa–Cyavana Episode
कुले स्रोतसि संच्छन्ने यस्य स्थाद् योनिसंकर: । संश्रयत्येव तच्छीलं नरोडल्पमथवा बहु
kule srotasi saṁchannē yasya sthād yonisaṅkaraḥ | saṁśrayatyeva tacchīlaṁ naro 'lpam athavā bahu ||
Bhishma bersabda: Sekalipun aliran garis keluarga tertutup—hingga dari luar tidak diketahui siapa berasal dari wangsa mana atau dari benih siapa seseorang dilahirkan—namun orang yang lahir dari persatuan yang campur-aduk tetap, sedikit atau banyak, niscaya menyerap watak ayahnya.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That concealed lineage does not prevent inherited dispositions from manifesting; therefore dharmic society emphasizes responsible unions and cultivation of character, since tendencies linked to parentage can appear even when origins are not publicly known.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he explains to the listener that mixed or uncertain birth (yoni-saṅkara) still shows traces of paternal nature, using this to underscore the importance of safeguarding lineage and ethical conduct.