Shloka 115

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

गोदोहमात्रं कालं वै प्रतीक्ष्यो ह्यतिथिः स्वयम् / अभ्यागतान् यथाशक्ति पूजयेदतिथिं यथा

Transliteration

godohamātraṃ kālaṃ vai pratīkṣyo hyatithiḥ svayam / abhyāgatān yathāśakti pūjayedatithiṃ yathā

Translation

Ein Atithi (unerwarteter Gast) soll aus eigenem Antrieb nur so lange warten, wie man zum Melken einer Kuh braucht; und der Hausherr soll nach seiner Kraft den angekommenen Gast ehren und verehren.

Word by Word

• गो-दोह-मात्रम्: for the time of a cow-milking
• गो-दोह-मात्रम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + दोह (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (measure of time: ‘as long as milking a cow’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• प्रतीक्ष्यः: to be waited for
• प्रतीक्ष्यः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-√ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय: यत्/ण्यत् (gerundive/future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘प्रतीक्षणीयः’ (to be waited for)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (for/indeed)

• अतिथिः: the guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: personally/by himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक (oneself)

• अभ्यागतान्: those who have arrived (guests)
• अभ्यागतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि-आ-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle) ‘अभ्यागत’ used substantively; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• यथा-शक्ति: according to ability
• यथा-शक्ति: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• पूजयेत्: should honor
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अतिथिम्: the guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यथा: as/according as
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक (as/in the manner that)

Speaker

Vyasa (narrating dharma teaching within the Kurma Purana’s discourse tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Atithi (Guest)
• Grihastha (Householder)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse does not directly define Atman; it teaches dharma through disciplined restraint and generosity, which purify the mind (citta-śuddhi) and thereby support Self-knowledge in the broader Purāṇic path.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal āsana or dhyāna is taught here; the practice is karmayoga-like—self-restraint by the guest (limited waiting) and selfless service by the householder (yathāśakti pūjā)—both cultivating humility and sattva.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The verse is ethically focused rather than sectarian; in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such dharma (right conduct) is upheld as a common foundation for devotion to Īśvara, whether approached as Shiva or Vishnu.