Brāhmaṇa-bheda-nirṇaya and Rājā’s Regulatory Duties (ब्राह्मणभेदनिर्णयः)
(यज्ञ: श्रुतमपैशुन्यमहिंसातिथिपूजनम् । दम: सत्यं तपो दानमेतद् ब्राह्मणलक्षणम् ।।
yajñaḥ śrutam apaiśunyam ahiṃsā atithipūjanam | damaḥ satyaṃ tapo dānam etad brāhmaṇalakṣaṇam ||
ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ຍັດຍະ (ຈິດໃຈແຫ່ງການຖວາຍ), ການສຶກສາເວດ, ບໍ່ນິນທາກ່າວຮ້າຍ, ອະຫິງສາ—ບໍ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ສັດໃດເຈັບທຸກດ້ວຍໃຈ ຄຳເວົ້າ ແລະການກະທຳ—ການນັບຖືແຂກ, ການສຳລວມອິນຊີ, ຄວາມຈິງ, ຕະປະ, ແລະທານ: ເຫຼົ່ານີ້ແມ່ນເຄື່ອງໝາຍຂອງພຣາຫມັນ».
भीष्म उवाच
Bhīṣma defines brāhmaṇa-hood by conduct and virtues—sacred learning, non-slander, non-violence in thought/speech/action, hospitality, self-restraint, truth, austerity, and generosity—rather than by mere status.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance and dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira by listing the ethical and spiritual traits that characterize a brāhmaṇa, as part of broader guidance on social and moral order.