Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24
अतिथिरुवाच । भोजनं द्विविधं विप्रा प्राकृतं परमं तथा । तदहं सम्यगिच्छामि दत्तं परमभोजनम्
atithiruvāca | bhojanaṃ dvividhaṃ viprā prākṛtaṃ paramaṃ tathā | tadahaṃ samyagicchāmi dattaṃ paramabhojanam
Der Gast sprach: „O Brāhmaṇas, Speise ist zweierlei: gewöhnlich und erhaben. Darum begehre ich wahrhaft die erhabene Speise, die darzubringen ist.“
Atithi (the disguised holy brāhmaṇa; context suggests Bhāskara in vipra-form)
Listener: Brāhmaṇas/household (collective)
Scene: A dignified guest (dvija/atithi) speaks before assembled brāhmaṇas, requesting the ‘supreme food’; the household listens with folded hands, a ritual setting with vessels, water-pot, and a clean dining space.
FAQs
Hospitality is not merely material; ‘supreme food’ points to the highest, most dharmic offering—given with purity, reverence, and right intention.
No specific tīrtha is named; the focus is the dharma of giving and the spiritual quality of offerings.
The concept of offering ‘parama-bhojana’ to an atithi is introduced, implying elevated, sanctified hospitality.