Shloka 46
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
स्वं दैवतं ब्राह्मण: स्वेन नित्यं परान् वर्णानयजन्नैवमासीत् | अधरो वितान: संसृष्टो वैश्यो ब्राह्मणस्त्रिषु वर्णेषु यज्ञसृष्ट:
Bhīṣma uvāca: svaṁ daivataṁ brāhmaṇaḥ svena nityaṁ parān varṇān ayajann evam āsīt | adharo vitānaḥ saṁsṛṣṭo vaiśyo brāhmaṇas triṣu varṇeṣu yajña-sṛṣṭaḥ |
毗湿摩说：婆罗门以其本分之业，恒为他姓之人如其本尊；故不可言其不为他姓代行祭祀。若祭中杂以吠舍为主祭之官（如阿阇梨等），则被视为下等之祭。造物主特为三姓之祭而生婆罗门，使其主持诸祭。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a dharma-based hierarchy of ritual responsibility: the Brahmin, by his prescribed duties, functions as the religious authority for the other varṇas and is specifically appointed to conduct sacrifices on their behalf; rituals led by a Vaiśya in priestly roles are deemed inferior within this normative framework.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is explaining to the listener the traditional allocation of sacrificial roles, emphasizing why Brahmins are regarded as the proper officiants for yajñas performed for the other social orders.