Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 16
Sāma (Sāntva) and Dāna: The Brāhmaṇa’s Conciliatory Release from a Rākṣasa
ये योनिशुद्धा: सततं तपस्यभिरता भृशम् । दानाध्ययनसम्पन्नास्ते वै पूज्यतमा: सदा
ye yoniśuddhāḥ satataṃ tapasyabhiratā bhṛśam | dānādhyayanasampannās te vai pūjyatamāḥ sadā ||
মৈত্ৰেয় ক’লে—যিসকল ব্ৰাহ্মণ শুদ্ধ বংশত জন্ম লৈছে, সদায় গভীৰ তপস্যাত ৰত থাকে, আৰু দান-অধ্যয়নে সম্পন্ন—তেওঁলোকেই সদা সৰ্বাধিক পূজ্য বুলি গণ্য হয়।
मैत्रेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
True venerability is grounded in sustained discipline (tapas), generosity (dāna), and sacred learning (adhyayana), with purity of birth presented as a supporting condition; honor is ethically tied to character and practice.
Maitreya is stating a normative criterion for who deserves the highest respect in society, identifying the Brahmin ideal as one who combines pure lineage with continuous austerity, charitable conduct, and scriptural study.