Shloka 26
च्यवन-कुशिक-संवादः
Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Hospitality, Service, and Lineage Questions
तावपि स्वाविव सुतौ संस्कार्याविति निश्चय: । क्षेत्रजो वाप्यपसदो ये<वध्यूढास्तेषु चाप्युत
tāv api svāv iva sutau saṃskāryāv iti niścayaḥ | kṣetrajō vāpy apasado ye ’vadhyūḍhās teṣu cāpy uta ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Bagi kedua jenis putra itu pun, kesimpulan yang pasti ialah: saṃskāra harus diberikan sebagaimana kepada putra sendiri. Demikian pula, apakah ia kṣetraja, apasada, ataupun avadhyūḍha—śāstra menetapkan bahwa mereka pun patut menerima saṃskāra yang semestinya seperti anak sendiri. Dalam perkara saṃskāra yang terkait varṇa, demikianlah keputusan dharma-śāstra. Semua telah kujelaskan kepadamu; apa lagi yang hendak kau dengar?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That dharmaśāstra recognizes certain categories of sons (including kṣetraja, apasada, and avadhyūḍha) and, despite their differing origins or social classification, enjoins that they receive the appropriate saṃskāras—rites that confer social-religious standing and duties—treating them, for ritual purposes, like one’s own.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he concludes a discussion on classifications of offspring and their eligibility for rites, stating the śāstric determination and asking what further topic the listener wishes to hear.