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 ||
毗湿摩说道：“以行医为业者、以贩卖学问为生者、乡里城镇之长、为糊口而事奉的祭司（purohita）、按年推算吉凶的占星者，以及研读离开《吠陀》与诸《论典》（śāstra）的无用之书者——此等人纵然生为婆罗门，也被视为与首陀罗无异。”
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.