Shloka 1
च्यवन-कुशिक-संवादः
Cyavana–Kuśika Dialogue on Hospitality, Service, and Lineage Questions
ऑपनआ प्रात बछ। अं काज जा एकोनपज्चाशत्तमो<ड्ध्याय: नाना प्रकारके पुत्रोंका वर्णन युधिष्ठिर उदाच ब्रूहि तात कुरुश्रेष्ठ वर्णानां त्वं पूथक् पृथक् । कीदृश्यां कीदृशाश्नापि पुत्रा: कस्य च के च ते
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | brūhi tāta kuruśreṣṭha varṇānāṁ tvaṁ pṛthak pṛthak | kīdṛśyāṁ kīdṛśāś cāpi putrāḥ kasya ca ke ca te ||
Sinabi ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Ipaliwanag mo sa akin, mahal na lolo—O pinakadakila sa mga Kuru—nang hiwa-hiwalay at ayon sa wastong ayos ang tungkol sa mga uri ng lipunan: mula sa anong uri ng babae isinisilang ang anong uri ng mga anak? At alin sa mga anak ang kanino nagmumula?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an inquiry into dharma as it relates to social order and lineage—how categories of society (varṇa) were traditionally discussed in terms of parentage and the perceived qualities of offspring, emphasizing systematic, case-by-case explanation.
In the Anuśāsana Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira asks Bhīṣma to explain, in a structured way, how different kinds of sons are said to arise from different kinds of women and to whom such sons are considered to belong—introducing a broader discussion on norms of family, status, and conduct.