Shloka 1
Brāhmaṇa-bheda-nirṇaya and Rājā’s Regulatory Duties (ब्राह्मणभेदनिर्णयः)
/ ऑपन-- मा बक। डे: षट्सप्ततितमो< ध्याय: उत्तम-अधम ब्राह्मणोंके साथ राजाका बर्ताव युधिछिर उवाच स्वकर्मण्यपरे युक्तास्तथैवान्ये विकर्मणि । तेषां विशेषमाचक्ष्व ब्राह्मणानां पितामह
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: svakarmaṇy apare yuktās tathaivānye vikarmaṇi | teṣāṁ viśeṣam ācakṣva brāhmaṇānāṁ pitāmaha ||
由提湿提罗说：“祖父啊，有些婆罗门安住于本分之业，亦有许多婆罗门反而从事违背其应行之事。请为我说明，这些婆罗门之间究竟有何差别？”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: how to discern true Brāhmaṇa conduct by distinguishing adherence to prescribed duty (svakarma) from deviation into improper action (vikarma), emphasizing ethical evaluation over mere social label.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and asks him to explain the difference between Brāhmaṇas who live by their proper duties and those who act contrary to them.