Manusmriti
उत्तमानुत्तमानेव गच्छन् हीनांस्तु वर्जयन् । ब्राह्मणः श्रेष्ठतामेति प्रत्यवायेन शूद्रताम् ॥ २४५ ॥
A Brahmana who always connects himself with the most excellent (ones), and shuns all inferior ones, (himself) becomes most distinguished; by an opposite conduct he becomes a Sudra.
english translation
uttamAnuttamAneva gacchan hInAMstu varjayan । brAhmaNaH zreSThatAmeti pratyavAyena zUdratAm ॥ 245 ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptउत्तमानुत्तमानेव गच्छन् हीनांस्तु वर्जयन् । ब्राह्मणः श्रेष्ठतामेति प्रत्यवायेन शूद्रताम् ॥ २४५ ॥
A Brahmana who always connects himself with the most excellent (ones), and shuns all inferior ones, (himself) becomes most distinguished; by an opposite conduct he becomes a Sudra.
english translation
uttamAnuttamAneva gacchan hInAMstu varjayan । brAhmaNaH zreSThatAmeti pratyavAyena zUdratAm ॥ 245 ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscript