Mahabharata · 1.207.20–21
॥
Devanāgarī
तेषां कुमाराः सर्वेषां पूर्वेषां मम जज्ञिरे ॥
कन्या तु मम जातेयं कुलस्योत्पादनी ध्रुवम् ॥
पुत्रो ममेयम् इति मे भावना पुरुषोत्तम ॥
पुत्रिका हेतुविधिना संज्ञिता भरतर्षभ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
teṣāṃ kumārāḥ sarveṣāṃ pūrveṣāṃ mama jajñire ||
kanyā tu mama jāteyaṃ kulasyotpādanī dhruvam ||
putro mameyam iti me bhāvanā puruṣottama ||
putrikā hetuvidhinā saṃjñitā bharatarṣabha ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तेषां कुमाराः सर्वेषां पूर्वेषां मम जज्ञिरेteṣāṃ kumārāḥ sarveṣāṃ pūrveṣāṃ mama jajñiresons were born to all those ancestors of mine;
कन्या तु मम जाता इयं कुलस्य उत्पादनी ध्रुवम्kanyā tu mama jātā iyaṃ kulasya utpādanī dhruvambut to me this daughter was born -- the continuer of the line, without doubt;
पुत्रः मम इयम् इति मे भावना पुरुषोत्तमputraḥ mama iyam iti me bhāvanā puruṣottama"she is my son" -- such is my understanding, O best of men;
पुत्रिका हेतुविधिना संज्ञिता भरतर्षभputrikā hetuvidhinā saṃjñitā bharatarṣabha[she is] a "putrika" [a daughter made to stand as a son], so named by established rule, O bull of the Bharatas;
जातेयंjāteyaṃoriginal form "jāteyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुलस्योत्पादनीkulasyotpādanīoriginal form "kulasyotpādanī", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुत्रोputrooriginal form "putro", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ममेयम्mameyamoriginal form "mameyam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Sons were born to all those ancestors of mine; but to me this daughter was born -- the continuer of the line, without doubt; 'she is my son' -- such is my understanding, best of men; she is a 'putrika,' a daughter made to stand as a son, so named by established rule."
Version
f365863dcdd5 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:01:16 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the institution of the "putrika" -- the daughter who takes the place of a son -- shows itself. It is significant that a father with no sons accepts a daughter as his successor: dharma provides for the continuation of a lineage through a daughter as well, when there is no son. Care for the unbroken continuity of the family is a sacred duty, for which special provisions exist. Thus scripture shows the custom of the putrika; and on it rests the condition the king will set.