Shloka 14
च्यवन-कुशिक-संवादः
Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Hospitality, Service, and Lineage Questions
युधिषछ्िर उवाच रेतजं विद्य वै पुत्र क्षेत्रजस्यागम: कथम् | अध्यूढं विद्य वै पुत्र भित्ता तु समयं कथम्
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: retajaṁ vidya vai putra kṣetrajasyāgamaḥ katham | adhyūḍhaṁ vidya vai putra bhittā tu samayaṁ katham ||
ยุธิษฐิระกล่าวว่า “ท่านปิตามหะ! พวกเราถือว่าบุตรคือผู้เกิดจากเชื้อของตน. แล้วบุตร ‘กฺเษตรชะ’ จะเกิดขึ้นได้อย่างไรหากไม่มีเชื้อ? และเราควรนับ ‘อัธยูฒะ’ เป็นบุตรด้วยเหตุใด—ตามกฎใดหรือ ‘สมยะ-ภेद’ แบบใด?”
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma inquiry into how ‘sonship’ is defined beyond biology—especially the legitimacy of kṣetraja and other socially recognized categories—highlighting that lineage and duty can be grounded in śāstric convention and ethical purpose, not only in physical paternity.
In the Anuśāsana Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Bhīṣma about the dharma-legal categories of sons. He challenges how a son can be acknowledged without the father’s seed and asks what conventional boundary or rule makes an adhyūḍha count as a son.