Shloka 3
Jāpakānāṃ Gatiḥ — The Destinies of Japa-Practitioners (Śānti Parva 12.190)
शौचाचारस्थित: सम्यग्विघसाशी गुरुप्रिय: । नित्यव्रती सत्यपर: स वै ब्राह्मण उच्यते
bharadvāja uvāca | śaucācārasthitaḥ samyag vighasāśī gurupriyaḥ | nityavratī satyaparaḥ sa vai brāhmaṇa ucyate ||
قال بهاغو: «مَن استقام على الطهارة وحسن السلوك، ولم يأكل إلا ما بقي بعد القربان، وكان محبًّا لمعلمه، مواظبًا على النذور، مُقبِلًا على الصدق—فذلك هو الذي يُسمّى حقًّا برهمنًا.»
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that true brāhmaṇa status is grounded in character: purity and good conduct, disciplined vows, devotion to one’s teacher, restraint in food (eating sanctified remnants), and unwavering commitment to truth.
In a didactic exchange within Śānti Parva, Bharadvāja states a normative definition of who deserves to be called a brāhmaṇa, emphasizing ethical and ritual discipline as the criteria.