Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9 - Chapter 1 - Verse 29

Sanskrit:

एष हि ब्राह्मणो विद्वांस्तप:शीलगुणान्वित: ।आरिराधयिषुर्ब्रह्म महापुरुषसंज्ञितम् ।सर्वभूतात्मभावेन भूतेष्वन्तर्हितं गुणै: ॥ २९ ॥

ITRANS:

eṣa hi brāhmaṇo vidvāṁstapaḥ-śīla-guṇānvitaḥārirādhayiṣur brahmamahā-puruṣa-saṁjñitamsarva-bhūtātma-bhāvenabhūteṣv antarhitaṁ guṇaiḥ

Translation:

Here is a learned, highly qualified brāhmaṇa, engaged in performing austerity and eagerly desiring to worship the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul who lives within the core of the heart in all living entities.

Purport:

The wife of the brāhmaṇa did not regard her husband as a superficial brāhmaṇa who was called a brāhmaṇa merely because he was born of a brāhmaṇa family. Rather, this brāhmaṇa was actually qualified with the brahminical symptoms. Yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktam (Bhāg. 7.11.35). The symptoms of a brāhmaṇa are stated in the śāstra: “Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness — these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work.” (Bg. 18.42) Not only must a brāhmaṇa be qualified, but he must also engage in actual brahminical activities. Simply to be qualified is not enough; one must engage in a brāhmaṇa’s duties. The duty of a brāhmaṇa is to know the paraṁ brahma, Kṛṣṇa (paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān). Because this brāhmaṇa was actually qualified and was also engaged in brahminical activities (brahma-karma), killing him would be a greatly sinful act, and the brāhmaṇa’s wife requested that he not be killed.