असत्यभाषिणो विप्राः सुरूपा नृपसत्तमाः । सर्व्वविद्याकुशलिनो ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मसत्तमाः
asatyabhāṣiṇo viprāḥ surūpā nṛpasattamāḥ | sarvvavidyākuśalino brāhmaṇā brahmasattamāḥ
Ada brāhmaṇa yang berkata tidak benar; ada pula raja mulia berwajah elok. Dan ada brāhmaṇa yang mahir dalam segala vidyā—terutama di antara para brahma-niṣṭha, yang teguh pada Brahman.
Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta-type purāṇic narrator)
Scene: A didactic forest-āśrama setting: elders instructing disciples; contrasting figures—one brāhmaṇa with a forked tongue (symbolic), a radiant king, and a serene brahma-niṣṭha sage—showing that inner truth, not outer markers, defines greatness.
Dharma evaluates people by truthfulness and realized excellence, not merely by social label; learning and integrity are central.
No specific sacred site is mentioned.
None; the verse is ethical and social in emphasis.