Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 61
Cyavana’s Water-Vow and the Ethics of Cohabitation (स्नेह-सम्वास-धर्मः)
एवं जातिषु सर्वासु सवर्ण: श्रेष्ठतां गत: । महर्षिरपि चैतद् वै मारीच: काश्यपोडब्रवीत्
evaṁ jātiṣu sarvāsu savarṇaḥ śreṣṭhatāṁ gataḥ | maharṣir api caitad vai mārīcaḥ kāśyapo 'bravīt ||
Kaya nito, sa lahat ng pangkat ng lipunan, ang anak na isinilang sa babaeng kapareho ng varṇa ang itinuturing na pinakadakila. Tunay nga, ipinahayag din ito ng dakilang rishi na si Kāśyapa, anak ni Marīci.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a normative social-ethical claim: across communities, a child born from a spouse of the same varṇa is considered ‘best’ or most socially approved, and this view is supported by the authority of the sage Kāśyapa.
In Bhishma’s instruction (Anuśāsana Parva), he cites an earlier sage-tradition: he states a rule about socially approved marriage/lineage and reinforces it by attributing the same statement to the revered rishi Kāśyapa, son of Marīci.