Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 11
Agastya-Māhātmya and Vasiṣṭha’s Protection of the Ādityas
Khalina Daityas; Sarayū Etiology
चिकित्सक: काण्डपृष्ठ: पुराध्यक्ष: पुरोहित: । सांवत्सरो वृथाध्यायी सर्वे ते शूद्रसम्मिता:
bhīṣma uvāca | cikitsakaḥ kāṇḍapṛṣṭhaḥ purādhyakṣaḥ purohitaḥ | sāṃvatsaro vṛthādhyāyī sarve te śūdrasammitāḥ ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Ang manggagamot na ginagawang hanapbuhay ang pagpapagaling, ang nabubuhay sa pagbebenta ng karunungan, ang pinuno ng nayon o bayan, ang pari (purohita) na naglilingkod para sa ikabubuhay, ang taunang manghuhula (astrologo), at ang nag-aaral ng mga walang saysay na aklat na hiwalay sa Veda at śāstra—ang mga ito, bagama’t ipinanganak na Brahmin, ay itinuturing na katumbas ng Śūdra.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that Brahmin status is not merely hereditary; when a Brahmin abandons Vedic-śāstric discipline and turns learning or priestly functions into mere livelihood, or pursues non-authoritative/fruitless study, he is socially classified as ‘Śūdra-like’—a moral judgment about conduct and vocation.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is enumerating categories of Brahmins whose occupations or modes of life are viewed as falling away from the ideal Brahminical standard, thereby affecting their recognized social-religious standing.