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 ||
Bhagu berkata: “Sesiapa yang teguh dalam kesucian dan tata susila yang benar, yang memakan hanya sisa selepas persembahan suci, yang berbakti kepada guru, yang memegang nazar secara tetap, dan yang berpegang pada kebenaran—dialah yang benar-benar disebut brāhmaṇa.”
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.