Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 20
Brahmacarya-Upāya: Jñāna, Śauca, and the Mind’s Role in Desire (शान्ति पर्व, अध्याय २०७)
तस्य पूर्वमजायन्त दश तिस्रश्न भारत | प्रजापतेर्दुहितरस्तासां ज्येष्ठा भवद् दिति:,भरतनन्दन! प्रजापति दक्षके पहले तेरह कन्याएँ उत्पन्न हुईं, जिनमें दिति सबसे बड़ी थी
tasya pūrvam ajāyanta daśa tisraś ca bhārata | prajāpater duhitaraḥ tāsāṁ jyeṣṭhā bhavad ditiḥ bharatanandana ||
ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ: ਹੇ ਭਾਰਤ! ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਜਾਪਤੀ ਦਕਸ਼ ਦੀਆਂ ਤੇਰਾਂ ਧੀਆਂ ਜਨਮੀਆਂ; ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਡੀ ਦਿਤੀ ਸੀ, ਹੇ ਭਰਤਨੰਦਨ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the importance of lineage and ordered creation in dharma discourse: knowing origins and relationships is presented as a way to understand how cosmic and social order are structured.
Bhīṣma is recounting an early genealogical account: Prajāpati Dakṣa had thirteen daughters, and Diti is identified as the eldest, setting up further discussion of their descendants and roles.