विप्रो वृक्षस्तस्य मूलं च सन्ध्या

विप्रो वृक्षस्तस्य मूलं च सन्ध्या वेदाः शाखा धर्मकर्माणि पत्रम्।
तस्मान्मूलं यत्नतो रक्षणीयं छिन्ने मूले नैव शाखा न पत्रम्॥
vipro vṛkṣastasya mūlaṁ ca sandhyā vedāḥ śākhā dharmakarmāṇi patram|
tasmānmūlaṁ yatnato rakṣaṇīyaṁ chinne mūle naiva śākhā na patram||
Vipras (Brahmanas) are like a tree, Sandhya the root, the Vedas its branches and other duties as the leaves.
Therefore, the root must be diligently kept secure, for if the root is severed, there are neither any branches nor any leaves!