Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72
Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama
अतिथिर्यस्य भग्नाशो गृहात्प्रतिनिवर्तिते । स तस्मै दुष्कृतं दत्त्वा पुण्यमादाय गच्छति ॥ ७२ ॥
atithiryasya bhagnāśo gṛhātpratinivartite | sa tasmai duṣkṛtaṃ dattvā puṇyamādāya gacchati || 72 ||
Wenn ein Gast, dessen Hoffnung zerbrochen ist, sich vom Haus eines Menschen abwendet und umkehrt, so geht er fort, nachdem er sein Unverdienst dem Hausherrn übergeben und dessen Verdienst mitgenommen hat.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)
Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)
FAQs
It teaches that honoring an atithi is not mere social etiquette but a karmic obligation: refusing or neglecting a guest causes one’s merit to diminish while attracting the guest’s demerit, showing the subtle moral economy governing grihastha-dharma.
Bhakti is expressed through reverence in action—seeing sacredness in service. By treating the guest as worthy of honor (atithi-devo-bhava in spirit), a devotee protects and increases punya, aligning daily conduct with devotion-based dharma.
It primarily reinforces Kalpa (ritual conduct) within dharma: the rule of atithi-satkara—offering respectful reception and sustenance—so that household rites and daily duties do not become sources of pratyavaya (negative karmic consequence).