Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 18
Narrative of Sumanā: The Quest for a Worthy Son and the Karmic Roots of Poverty
वसिष्ठ उवाच । पुत्रा मित्राण्यथ भ्राता अन्ये स्वजनबांधवाः । पंचभेदास्तु संभेदात्पुरुषस्य भवंति ते
vasiṣṭha uvāca | putrā mitrāṇyatha bhrātā anye svajanabāṃdhavāḥ | paṃcabhedāstu saṃbhedātpuruṣasya bhavaṃti te
Васиштха сказал: Сыновья, друзья, братья и прочие родственники и свойственники — они составляют пять разрядов человека, возникающих по их различиям.
Vasiṣṭha
Primary Rasa: shanta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मित्राण्यथ = मित्राणि + अथ; संभेदात्पुरुषस्य = संभेदात् + पुरुषस्य; भवंति = भवन्ति (वर्तनी-भेद).
FAQs
It classifies a person’s close social circle into five relationship-types (including sons, friends, brothers, and other kin), emphasizing that these are distinct categories within one’s human ties.
It indicates a traditional way of grouping relationships into a set of categories; the verse explicitly lists several key relations and then summarizes them as five kinds arising from distinctions (saṃbheda).
Recognizing different kinds of relationships helps one apply dharma appropriately—duties and conduct can vary depending on whether someone is a child, friend, sibling, or other relative.