Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
पुत्रार्थो विहितो होष वार्धके परिपालनम् | श्रुतिरेषा हि विप्रषें त्रिषु लोकेषु शाश्वती
putrārtho vihito hoṣa vārdhake paripālanam | śrutir eṣā hi vipraṛṣe triṣu lokeṣu śāśvatī ||
កូនបាននិយាយថា៖ «ឱ ព្រះឥសីដ៏គួរគោរព! ការមានកូនប្រុស ត្រូវបានកំណត់ឡើងសម្រាប់ហេតុនេះ—ឲ្យគាត់ការពារ និងថែទាំឪពុកនៅវ័យចាស់។ ឱ ព្រះព្រាហ្មឥសី! នេះជាស្រ៊ុតិ (śruti) ដ៏អស់កល្បជានិច្ច ដែលល្បីល្បាញទូទាំងបីលោក»។
पुत्र उवाच
That the dharmic purpose of having a son includes the obligation to protect, maintain, and personally care for one’s father in old age; this duty is grounded in śruti (Vedic authority) and treated as universally valid.
A son is speaking to a revered Brahmarṣi, justifying or affirming a course of action by citing an established śruti principle: filial responsibility—especially the care of parents in their vulnerable old age—is a timeless norm recognized across the three worlds.