विप्राणां ज्ञानतो जैष्ठ्यं

विप्राणां ज्ञानतो जैष्ठ्यं क्षत्रियाणां तु वीर्यतः।
वैश्यानां धान्य-धनतः शूद्राणामेव जन्मतः॥
viprāṇāṁ jñānato jaiṣṭhyaṁ kṣatriyāṇāṁ tu vīryataḥ |
vaiśyānāṁ dhānya-dhanataḥ śūdrāṇāmeva janmataḥ ||
Among brāhmaṇas, seniority is considered by knowledge, among kṣatriyas, by valour.
Among vaiśyas, by grain and money and among śūdras alone, by birth.

ज्येष्ठत्वं जन्मना नैव

ज्येष्ठत्वं जन्मना नैव गुणैर्ज्येष्ठत्वमुचते।
गुणात् गुरुत्वमायाति दुग्धं दधि घृतं क्रमात्॥
jyeṣṭhatvaṁ janmanā naiva guṇairjyeṣṭhatvamucate|
guṇāt gurutvamāyāti dugdhaṁ dadhi ghṛtaṁ kramāt||
Excellence is not by birth; excellence is decided by qualities [of a person].
Only by qualities, greatness comes, [just] as it increases from milk to curd to ghee.