What is the means of livelihood of the first-class man? That is said, paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. First-class man means brahminical class. Their occupational duty is first of all he must become a very learned scholar in the Vedic literature. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. He must become a learned scholar. And after becoming a scholar, it is not that he will enjoy himself the knowledge. No. He will distribute the knowledge. This is one. . . That first-class man, or the brāhmaṇa, first of all he must become a learned scholar. If he is not scholar, what he will. . ., nonsense he will teach? So the first position is that he must become a learned scholar.
And the next business is to teach others, to make disciple. Formerly, even fifty year or sixty years ago in India, a brāhmaṇa would not accept anyone's service. Because whatever he has knowledge, he would sit down anywhere, underneath a tree or in the corridor of somebody, and he will invite the village small children, and they will go, and he will teach little grammar, little mathematics, gradually. And the children will bring from their father and mother. Somebody will bring rice. Somebody will bring ḍāl. Somebody will bring something. So he had no necessity of making any contract that "You give me so many dollars, then I shall teach you." No. Free. Free education. In this way India was free education.
So paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana. Then next business is brāhmaṇa should be a devotee, worshiping Deity, either Viṣṇu or sometimes other demigod. So yajana-yājana. He will personally do it, and he will teach others how to worship. Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana. And his livelihood—by voluntary contribution. Whatever people will give, that's all right. People used to give brāhmaṇa.