Shloka 12
Varṇasaṃkara: Causes, Classifications, and Conduct-based Recognition (वर्णसंकरः—हेतु-जाति-आचारनिर्णयः)
मातुश्न यौतकं॑ यत् स्यात् कुमारी भाग एव सः । दौहित्र एव तद् रिक्थमपुत्रस्य पितुर्हरेत्
Bhīṣma uvāca — mātuḥ yautakaṃ yat syāt kumārī-bhāga eva saḥ | dauhitra eva tad riktham aputrasya pituḥ haret ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ମାତାଙ୍କ ଯୌତକରୁ ଯେ ଧନ ଆସେ, ସେ ନିଜେ କୁମାରୀ କନ୍ୟାର ଭାଗ। ତେଣୁ ପୁତ୍ରହୀନ ପିତାଙ୍କ ଧନ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବାର ଅଧିକାର ଦୌହିତ୍ର (ନାତି)ଙ୍କର; ସେଇ ତାହା ନେବ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A mother’s yautaka (dowry/nuptial property) is treated as the daughter’s rightful share; consequently, if a man dies sonless, the daughter’s son (dauhitra) is the proper heir to that estate, preserving the line of entitlement through the daughter.
In the Anushasana Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhishma lays down a rule of inheritance: he clarifies who has claim over dowry-derived wealth and who inherits when there is no son—identifying the dauhitra as the legitimate recipient.