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Shloka 7

Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava

गृहेषु येष्वतिथयो नार्चिता: सलिलैरपि । यदि निर्यान्ति ते नूनं फेरुराजगृहोपमा: ॥ ७ ॥

gṛheṣu yeṣv atithayo nārcitāḥ salilair api yadi niryānti te nūnaṁ pherurāja-gṛhopamāḥ

Häuser, aus denen Gäste fortgehen, ohne auch nur mit einem wenig Wasser geehrt worden zu sein, gleichen wahrlich den Löchern im Feld, die den Schakalen als Behausung dienen.

gṛheṣuin (those) houses
gṛheṣu:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootgṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (सप्तमी), Plural
yeṣuin which
yeṣu:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/relative)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormRelative pronoun, Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी), Plural
atithayaḥguests
atithayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootatithi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; negation particle
arcitāḥ(are) honored
arcitāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; predicate participle with atithayaḥ)
TypeVerb
Root√arc (धातु) + kta (क्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘honored/worshipped’
salilaiḥwith water
salilaiḥ:
Karana (करण/means)
TypeNoun
Rootsalila (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural
apieven
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; particle ‘even/also’
yadiif
yadi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; conditional conjunction (शर्त-समुच्चय)
niryāntithey depart/go out
niryānti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootnir-√yā (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural
nūnamsurely
nūnam:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnūnam (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; emphatic adverb (निश्चयार्थक)
pheru-rāja-gṛha-upamāḥlike King Pheru’s house
pheru-rāja-gṛha-upamāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective of te)
TypeAdjective
Rootpheru (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; compound meaning ‘like the house of King Pheru’ (उपमा-प्रयोग; upamā as ‘likeness’)

In a field there may be holes made by snakes and mice, but when there are very big holes, it may be supposed that jackals live there. Certainly no one goes to take shelter in such homes. Thus the homes of human beings where atithis, uninvited guests, are not properly received are like the homes of jackals.

A
Atithi (guest)

FAQs

This verse teaches that a home becomes inauspicious when guests are not respectfully received—even a basic offering of water is considered essential in Vedic hospitality.

In the narrative on Aditi’s vow and devotional observances, Śukadeva highlights foundational dharma—simple, sincere hospitality—as a sign of purity and auspicious household life supportive of bhakti.

Offer respectful attention and simple care—welcome, water/refreshment, and kind words—so that one’s home remains a place of dharma, gratitude, and devotional culture.