Shloka 90
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
ये चातिथिं न मन्यंते ते वै निरयगामिनः । अनाथं विकलं दीनं बालं वृद्धं भृशातुरम्
ye cātithiṃ na manyaṃte te vai nirayagāminaḥ | anāthaṃ vikalaṃ dīnaṃ bālaṃ vṛddhaṃ bhṛśāturam
Wer den Gast nicht ehrt, geht wahrlich zur Hölle; ebenso, wer den Schutzlosen missachtet: den Waisen, den Behinderten, den Armen, das Kind, den Greis und den schwer Leidenden.
Unknown (context not provided; likely a narrator/teacher voice within the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogue frame)
Concept: Honoring guests and caring for the helpless—disabled, poor, children, elderly, and severely afflicted—is essential dharma; neglect leads to hellish consequence.
Application: Practice hospitality (food, water, respectful speech), build routines of care for dependents, donate to the needy, and cultivate a home culture where vulnerability is protected, not ignored.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a lamp-lit courtyard, a householder couple welcomes a weary traveler-guest with folded hands, offering water, a seat, and a simple meal. Nearby, an elderly person and a child are gently attended, while a small household shrine to Viṣṇu glows—suggesting that hospitality itself is worship.","primary_figures":["guest (atithi)","householder (gṛhastha)","householder spouse","elderly dependent","child"],"setting":"Vaishnava home courtyard with rangoli, clay lamps, water pot, leaf-plate meal, and a small Viṣṇu shrine niche","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit, warm and serene","color_palette":["lamp-amber","lotus pink","sandalwood beige","peacock blue","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: domestic dharma scene with a small Viṣṇu icon in a shrine niche, gold leaf highlighting the lamp flames and shrine aura; rich reds/greens in textiles, ornate border with lotus and conch motifs; gestures of namaskāra and offering water emphasized.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard hospitality with delicate brushwork, refined faces, soft textiles; warm evening light, subtle architectural details; the guest seated respectfully, householders offering water and food; gentle, lyrical mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized courtyard and figures; warm red/yellow/green palette; prominent lamp and shrine; iconic hand gestures of welcome and care for the elderly and child.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional household scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; include subtle Viṣṇu symbols and a serene blue background; hospitality as seva depicted with ornate detailing, peacocks and cows in border panels to evoke Vaishnava auspiciousness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","evening insects","water being poured","gentle conch (very faint)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cātithiṃ = ca + atithim (vowel sandhi).
FAQs
It teaches atithi-dharma (honoring guests) and extends the same moral obligation to protecting and supporting society’s vulnerable—helpless, disabled, poor, children, the elderly, and the severely ill.
In Purāṇic dharma, a guest represents a sacred social duty; refusing respect and care is portrayed as a grave breach of righteousness with severe karmic consequences.
It places hospitality and social compassion on the same continuum of dharma: honoring the visitor and caring for those in distress are both required expressions of moral and spiritual responsibility.