श्रद्दधानः शुभां विद्यामाददीतावरादपि ।
अन्त्यादपि परं धर्मं स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि ॥
विषादप्यमृतं ग्राह्यं बालादपि सुभाषितम् ।
अमित्रादपि सद्वृत्तममेध्यादपि काञ्चनम् ॥
स्त्रियो रत्नान्यथो विद्या धर्मः शौचं सुभाषितम् ।
विविधानि च शील्पानि समादेयानि सर्वतः ॥
अब्राह्मणादध्यायनमापत्काले विधीयते ।
अनुव्रज्या च शुश्रूषा यावदध्यायनं गुरोः ॥
śraddadhānaḥ śubhāṁ vidyām ādadītāvarād api |
antyād api paraṁ dharmaṁ strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api ||
viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyaṁ bālād api subhāṣitam |
amitrād api sad-vṛttam amedhyād api kāñcanam ||
striyo ratnāny atho vidyā dharmaḥ śaucaṁ subhāṣitam |
vividhāni ca śīlpāni samādeyāni sarvataḥ ||
abrāhmaṇād adhyāyanam āpat-kāle vidhīyate |
anuvrajyā ca śuśrūṣā yāvad adhyāyanaṁ guroḥ ||
(Manu-smṛti: 2.238–241)
“One possessed of śraddhā may accept conducive knowledge [e.g., knowledge of logic, poetry, drama, medicine, etc.] even from an inferior [i.e., a member of a lower caste], other (para) dharma [i.e., knowledge of local laws and the like; alt., knowledge of the supreme (para) dharma, i.e., knowledge of the Self (Ātmā)] even from the lowest [i.e., someone who has no varṇa], and a wife or a jewel even from a low family. Nectar can be accepted even from poison, a fine statement even from a boy, good conduct even from a foe, and gold even from an impure substance. Wives, jewels, knowledge, dharma, uprightness, fine statements, and various arts can be accepted from everywhere. [A brāhmaṇa’s] Studying [the Veda] from a non-brāhmaṇa [i.e., a kṣatriya or vaiśya] is enjoined in a time of difficulty, as is following and serving the [non-brāhmaṇa] guru while studying.”