A person proclaims himself by his own good and bad deeds and by his good or bad nature and race of birth. If ones' race of birth happens to be degraded for any reason, one soon raises it and makes it resplendent and famous by his deeds.
आत्मानमाख्याति हि कर्मभिर्नरः सुशीलचारित्रकुलैः शुभाशुभैः। प्रणष्टमप्याशु कुलं तथा नरः पुनः प्रकाशं कुरुते स्वकर्मतः॥