Originally posted by: FlauntPessimism
70% of things we know aren't in Mahabharat
That's why I said be ready for heart breaks
Will explain on how Karna didn't have rights in GD thread
OK so for anyone who is interested. As per inheritance laws in our scriptures, children are segregated into following 12 categories in decreasing order of rights
1) Aurasa-- Own biological son from a legally wedded wife, he is the most important and has highest rights on the property of father. In his presence children of no other type will have any rights
2) Putri ka Putra-- In case a man only has daughters, he is advised to make an agreement with one of his son in laws that the son of his daughter would be given to him as a son and he would be inheritor of everything. He will be practically equal to own son both religiously and legally. In Mahabharat, Manipur naresh did the same, his successor was the son of his daughter and Arjun (Babhrubahan)
3) In case one has no child of own, the third option is Kshetraj santan, that is to get a child by Niyoga. This option is taken when husband either dies without any child or is infertile. In this case husband (or in laws in husband is dead) advise wife to reach out to some other man for child bearing, it is generally a Sapinda of husband and most commonly a brother (Manusmriti only suggests husband's younger brother but practically the went with any kind of brother or even an outsider like some great Kshatriya Brahmana). The children born out of such union would be taken as the children of husband, since wife was considered a piece of land under the possession of husband so any tree growing out there belongs to husband irrespective of who sows the seeds, hence the term Kshetraj santan meaning santan got from Kshrtra (land). Dhritrashtra and Pandu were Kshetraj santaan of Vichitraveer while Pandavas were Kshetraj santaan of Pandu
4) Gūḍhaja- This is similar to Kshetraja the only difference is that while the Kshetraj is conceived with permission and knowledge of husband and everyone, even their biological fathers are known, in Gūḍhaja, the wife mates secretly and no one knows the actual father (In normal words he is the result of an EMA of wife), he is treated below above three but still considered the child of husband due to the same Kshetra logic explained above
5) Dattak Putra-- One can adopt a child, this adoption is done by following the rituals, this adoption will be with permssion of biological parents of the child. Like Kunti was adopted by Kuntibhoj with permission of her biological parents, and he will in next in line of succession. He like above can perform last rites of the parents.
The children below this stage are considered bad and dont have the right to perform last rites of parents
6) Kanina-- This is the child of a maiden women conceived before the marriage by someone else. Karna will fall in this category for Pandu's child
7) Paunarbhava-- This is child of a remarried woman. If a woman remarries and has a child from second husband, this child will still be considered the child of first husband but would be below ones mentioned
8)Krita -- If a child is sold by parents to someone of same Varna and the other purchases it with an intention to treat as child, he will come under Krita(here the intent should be to make own's child and not a Dasa)
9) Kritma- A man adopts the child himself (he isnt gifted by parents like in case of Dattaka).
10) Dattamma-- A child himself reaches out to someone and presents himself as his child
11) Sahodhaja: Similar to Kaneen, only difference that he was still in womb when his mother married her husband (that is if a man marries a pregnant woman the child will be taken as that of husband in this category)
12) Apavidhha-- A child is deserted by his parents and is adopted by someone else. Karna's adoption by Adirath will come under this category.
So as we see Pandavas being Kshetraj were much ahead in line of succession to Karna who was a Kaneen. Yes Krishna did offer Karna to join Pandavas so that he will be made the king, but that offer isnt scripturally supported, so I personally feel he was just fooling Karna to switch sides, all the more since Krishna also offered Draupadi to Karna which we all know he had absolutely no rights for. The wife of younger brother is like a daughter so Draupadi also becoming his made no real sense.
Edited by FlauntPessimism - 2 years ago
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