Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 12
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)
ब्रह्मक्षत्रविरोधेन भविता कुलसंकर: । पौत्रस्ते भविता राजंस्तेजोवीर्यसमन्वित:
cyavana uvāca | brahmakṣatravirodhena bhavitā kulasaṅkaraḥ | pautras te bhavitā rājan tejo-vīrya-samanvitaḥ, nareśvara |
Sinabi ni Cyavana: “Dahil sa paglalaban ng Brahmana at Kshatriya, lilitaw ang pagkalito at paghahalo ng mga angkan. Gayunman, O hari—O panginoon ng mga tao—magkakaroon ka ng isang apo na pinagkalooban ng ningning at lakas ng kabayanihan.”
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that sustained conflict between spiritual authority (brahma) and royal power (kṣatra) destabilizes society and lineage continuity (kulasaṅkara). At the same time, it affirms that rightful qualities—tejas and vīrya—can still manifest in a future descendant, implying that dharmic restoration is possible even after social strain.
The sage Cyavana addresses a king and speaks in a predictive tone: he foresees lineage-confusion arising from Brahmin–Kshatriya antagonism, yet also foretells that the king will have a grandson distinguished by splendour and heroic prowess.