ब्राह्मणेन निष्कारणो धर्मः षडङ्गो वेदोऽध्येयो ज्ञेय इति ।
प्रधानं च षट्स्वङ्गेषु व्याकरणम् ।
प्रधाने च कृतो यत्नः फलवान्भवति ।
brāhmaṇena niṣkāraṇo dharmaḥ ṣaḍaṅgo vedo’dhyeyo jñeya iti |
pradhānaṁ ca ṣaṭsv aṅgeṣu vyākaraṇam |
pradhāne ca kṛto yatnaḥ phalavān bhavati |
(Mahābhāṣya)
“Dharma, the six aṅgas [of the Veda], and the Veda are to be received and learned by a brāhmaṇa without cause [i.e., without any selfish motive, and without questioning the reason why this should be done]. Among the six aṅgas, vyākaraṇa (grammar) is the foremost, and exertion done in regard to that which is foremost becomes fruitful.”