ततो वर्णाश्च चत्वारस्तेषां ब्राह्मण उत्तम: । ब्राह्मणेष्वपि वेदज्ञो ह्यर्थज्ञोऽभ्यधिकस्तत: ॥ ३१ ॥
tato varnas ca catvaras tesam brahmana uttamah brahmanesv api veda-jno hy artha-jno ’bhyadhikas tatah
- tatah
- among them
- varnah
- classes
- ca
- and
- catvarah
- four
- tesam
- of them
- brahmanah
- a brahmana
- uttamah
- best
- brahmanesu
- among the brahmanas
- api
- moreover
- veda
- the Vedas
- jnah
- one who knows
- hi
- certainly
- artha
- the purpose
- jnah
- one who knows
- abhyadhikah
- better
- tatah
- than him.
Among human beings, the society which is divided according to quality and work is best, and in that society, the intelligent men, who are designated as brahmanas, are best. Among the brahmanas, one who has studied the Vedas is the best, and among the brahmanas who have studied the Vedas, one who knows the actual purport of Veda is the best.