Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 10

Varṇasaṃkara: Causes, Classifications, and Conduct-based Recognition (वर्णसंकरः—हेतु-जाति-आचारनिर्णयः)

युधिछिर उवाच अथ केन प्रमाणेन पुंसामादीयते धनम्‌ । पुत्रवद्धि पितुस्तस्य कन्या भवितुमहति

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: atha kena pramāṇena puṃsām ādīyate dhanam | putravad dhi pituḥ tasya kanyā bhavitum arhati ||

由提施提罗问道:“祖父啊!凭何等权威之法,财产竟被认为只归男子所有?因为就父亲而言,女儿也应当被视为与儿子同等。”

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, Third, Singular
अथthen/now
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
केनby what (means)
केन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
प्रमाणेनby authority/proof
प्रमाणेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमाण
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
पुंसाम्of men
पुंसाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootपुंस्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
आदीयतेis taken/received (is appropriated)
आदीयते:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + दा
FormPresent, Atmanepada (Passive-like usage), Third, Singular
धनम्wealth
धनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
पुत्रवत्like a son
पुत्रवत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुत्रवत्
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
पितुःof the father
पितुः:
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
तस्यof him/of that
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
कन्याdaughter
कन्या:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकन्या
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
भवितुम्to be/to become
भवितुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormTumun (infinitive)
अर्हतिis entitled/deserves
अर्हति:
TypeVerb
Rootअर्ह्
FormPresent, Third, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
K
kanyā (daughter)
P
pitṛ (father)
P
putra (son)
D
dhanam (wealth/property)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames an ethical-legal challenge: if a daughter is regarded as equivalent to a son in relation to her father, then restricting inheritance to males requires a clear pramāṇa (authoritative justification). It foregrounds dharma as something that must be reasoned and grounded in recognized authority, not merely assumed by custom.

In the Anuśāsana discussions on dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira questions the prevailing rule of male-only entitlement to property. He argues that a daughter, being ‘like a son’ to her father, should also be considered eligible, and asks Bhīṣma (addressed as Pitāmaha in the surrounding context) to state the authoritative basis for the contrary practice.