Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
भ्रातृणां नास्ति सौक्षात्रं येष्वेकस्य पितु: सुताः । राज्यहेतोर्विवदिता: कश्यपस्य सुरासुरा:
bhrātṝṇāṃ nāsti saukṣātraṃ yeṣv ekasya pituḥ sutāḥ | rājyahetor vivaditāḥ kaśyapasya surāsurāḥ ||
Bhishma disse: “Mesmo entre irmãos, filhos do mesmo pai, muitas vezes não se encontra verdadeiro afeto fraterno. Os deuses e os asuras são ambos filhos de Kaśyapa, e ainda assim, por causa da soberania, permanecem em disputa contínua entre si.”
भीष्म उवाच
Bhishma warns that shared parentage does not guarantee harmony: attachment to power and sovereignty can override natural bonds, so one should restrain ambition and cultivate dharmic self-control to preserve relationships and social order.
In his instruction, Bhishma illustrates a moral point by citing a cosmic example: although devas and asuras share the same father, Kashyapa, they still fight over dominion—showing how the desire for rule breeds conflict even among kin.