Manava Dharmashastra 6.89.4

6.89.4

karmasambandhādgṛhasthaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ | ata āśramasyaiva śreṣṭhyamuktaṃ bhavati | śrīnetāniti| idamaparaṃ śreṣṭhyakāraṇaṃ yadanyeṣāmārumāṇāṃ bharakam| taduktaṃ "jñānenānnena ca" iti | eṣa evārtho dṛṣṭāntena dṛḍhīkriyate

The ‘Householder is the best of all’, because of his connection with religious acts; hence the superiority belongs to the stage itself (not to the man).

‘These three.’—That it supports the other three stages is another ground for its superiority. This is what has been referred to by the text—‘By means of knowledge and by good &c. &c.’—(89).

This same dea (idea?) is further supported by means of an example.—