Shloka 9
Gṛhastha-vṛtti and Niyama: Models of Householder Livelihood and Discipline (गृहस्थवृत्ति-नियमाः)
अग्नीश्र ब्राह्म॒णांश्चार्चेद् देवता: प्रणमेत च
agnīṁś ca brāhmaṇāṁś cārcet devatāḥ praṇamet ca | kaṭvīṁ vācaṁ mukhān na brūyāt hiṁsāṁ ca na samācaret | adharmayuktaṁ hi tat | eṣā brāhmaṇasya paramparāgatā vṛttiḥ (kartavya) vidhīyate ||
毗耶娑说：“当礼敬火神阿耆尼，尊崇婆罗门，并向诸天俯首致敬。不可出恶言，亦不可行暴害；因为此等行径与非正法（adharma）相系。这被规定为婆罗门世代相承的传统生活方式——亦即其本分之法。”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse prescribes a Brāhmaṇa’s traditional dharma: reverence through worship (Agni, Brāhmaṇas, and the gods), restraint in speech (avoiding harsh words), and restraint in action (avoiding violence), because harshness and harm are aligned with adharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Vyāsa states normative rules of behavior—especially for Brāhmaṇas—linking ritual reverence and ethical self-control as the inherited standard of proper living.