Shloka 108
युधिछिर उवाच शृणु यक्ष कुलं तात न स्वाध्यायो न च श्रुतम् । कारणं हि द्विजत्वे च वृत्तमेव न संशय:
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: śṛṇu yakṣa kulaṃ tāta na svādhyāyo na ca śrutam | kāraṇaṃ hi dvijatve ca vṛttam eva na saṃśayaḥ ||
یُدھِشٹھِر نے کہا: سنو، اے یَکش، اے عزیز! نہ کُل، نہ سوادھیائے، نہ محض سُنتا ہوا علم—یہ سبب نہیں۔ دْوِجَتْو کا حقیقی سبب تو صرف کردار ہے؛ اس میں کوئی شک نہیں۔
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Brahminhood (and true ‘twice-born’ status) is determined primarily by ethical conduct (vṛtta), not by mere scriptural study (svādhyāya) or accumulated learning (śruta) without character.
In the Yakṣa-prashna episode, Yudhiṣṭhira answers the Yakṣa’s probing questions about dharma and human excellence; here he asserts that moral conduct is the decisive mark of a true dvija, surpassing mere scholarship.