Shloka 60

Cyavana’s Water-Vow and the Ethics of Cohabitation (स्नेह-सम्वास-धर्मः)

Devanagari script

हरेज्ज्येष्ठ: प्रधानांशमेकं तुल्यासु तेष्वपि | मध्यमो मध्यमं चैव कनीयांस्तु कनीयसम्‌

Transliteration

harej jyeṣṭhaḥ pradhānāṁśam ekaṁ tulyāsu teṣv api | madhyamo madhyamaṁ caiva kanīyāṁs tu kanīyasam ||

Translation

ସମାନ ସ୍ଥିତିର ସ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନଙ୍କଠାରୁ ଜନ୍ମିତ ପୁତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ପୁତ୍ର ଗୋଟିଏ ପ୍ରଧାନ (ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ) ଅଂଶ ନେଉ; ମଧ୍ୟମ ପୁତ୍ର ମଧ୍ୟମ ଭାଗ, ଏବଂ କନିଷ୍ଠ ପୁତ୍ର କନିଷ୍ଠ ଭାଗ ନେଉ।

Word by Word

• हरेत्: should take
• हरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (हरति)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ज्येष्ठः: the eldest (son)
• ज्येष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रधानांशम्: the principal share
• प्रधानांशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधानांश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तुल्यासु: among equals / when (the mothers) are equal
• तुल्यासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• तेषु: among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• मध्यमः: the middle (son)
• मध्यमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मध्यमम्: the middle share
• मध्यमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कनीयान्: the youngest (son)
• कनीयान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनीयस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• कनीयसम्: the smallest share
• कनीयसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनीयस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.