Shloka 1
Brāhmaṇa-bheda-nirṇaya and Rājā’s Regulatory Duties (ब्राह्मणभेदनिर्णयः)
/ ऑपन-- मा बक। डे: षट्सप्ततितमो< ध्याय: उत्तम-अधम ब्राह्मणोंके साथ राजाका बर्ताव युधिछिर उवाच स्वकर्मण्यपरे युक्तास्तथैवान्ये विकर्मणि । तेषां विशेषमाचक्ष्व ब्राह्मणानां पितामह
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: svakarmaṇy apare yuktās tathaivānye vikarmaṇi | teṣāṁ viśeṣam ācakṣva brāhmaṇānāṁ pitāmaha ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Grandfather, some Brāhmaṇas are devoted to their own prescribed duties, while others engage in actions contrary to their proper conduct. Please explain to me the distinction among such Brāhmaṇas.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: how to discern true Brāhmaṇa conduct by distinguishing adherence to prescribed duty (svakarma) from deviation into improper action (vikarma), emphasizing ethical evaluation over mere social label.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and asks him to explain the difference between Brāhmaṇas who live by their proper duties and those who act contrary to them.