Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 6
Cyavana’s Water-Vow and the Ethics of Cohabitation (स्नेह-सम्वास-धर्मः)
Devanagari script
केन वा किं ततो हार्य पितृवित्तात् पितामह । एतदिच्छामि कथितं विभागस्तेषु य: स्मृत:
Transliteration
kena vā kiṁ tato hārya pitṛvittāt pitāmaha | etad icchāmi kathitaṁ vibhāgas teṣu yaḥ smṛtaḥ ||
Translation
“祖父啊，应依何种法则，又应取多少份额，才能从父亲的财富中分给各子？我愿从您口中听闻经由《斯摩利提》所记定的分配之法。”
Word by Word
केनby whom/with what
केन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
किम्what
किम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
ततःthen/from that
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
हार्यO Har(y)a (proper name/epithet)
हार्य:
TypeAdjective
Rootहार्य
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
पितृवित्तात्from the father's wealth
पितृवित्तात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृवित्त
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
पितामहO grandfather
पितामह:
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इच्छामिI desire
इच्छामि:
TypeVerb
Rootइष्
FormPresent, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada
कथितम्told/said (as a thing to be told)
कथितम्:
Karma
TypeParticiple
Rootकथित
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विभागःthe division/share-allotment
विभागः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविभाग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तेषुamong them/for them
तेषु:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural
यःwhich/that (share)
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्मृतःis prescribed/remembered (in tradition)
स्मृतः:
TypeParticiple
Rootस्मृत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पितामहO grandfather
पितामह:
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
युधिछिर उवाच
Characters & Entities
Y
YudhiṣṭhiraP
Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)P
pitṛ-vitta (father’s wealth)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
That distribution of a father’s property is to be understood through dharma and Smṛti-based norms—inheritance is a regulated ethical duty, not merely personal desire.
Yudhiṣṭhira, seeking guidance on righteous conduct, asks the elder authority (Bhīṣma) to explain the traditionally prescribed shares and rules regarding what a son should receive from his father’s wealth.