There is not another man, O king, in all the worlds, who is worthier of being accosted on such topics. O best of kings, how may one, if he happens to be a Kshatriya or a Vaishya or a Shudra, succeed in acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana? You should tell nic the means. Is it by the most austere penances or by religious acts or by knowledge of the scriptures, that a person belonging to any of the three inferior castes succeeds in acquiring the dignity of Brahmana? Do tell me this, O grandfather.
क्षत्रियो यदि वा वैश्यः शूद्रो वा राजसत्तम। ब्राह्मण्यं प्राप्नुयाद् येन तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि॥ तपसा वा सुमहता कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा। ब्राह्मण्यमथ चेदिच्छेत् तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥