Shloka 19

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

अप्रणोद्यो ऽतिथिः सायमपि नात्र विचारणा / सत्कृत्य भिक्षवे भिक्षा दातव्या सुव्रताय च

Transliteration

apraṇodyo 'tithiḥ sāyamapi nātra vicāraṇā / satkṛtya bhikṣave bhikṣā dātavyā suvratāya ca

Translation

A guest must not be turned away—even in the evening; there is no deliberation in this. After honoring him, one should give alms-food to a bhikṣu (mendicant), and also to one steadfast in suvrata, righteous vows.

Word by Word

• अप्रणोद्यः: not to be turned away
• अप्रणोद्यः: Qualifier (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्रणोद्य (प्रातिपदिक; प्र + नुद् (धातु) + ण्यत्)
• Form: ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अतिथिः इति विशेषण)

• अतिथिः: a guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (evening)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• न: no/not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here/in this matter)

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (Predicate-noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नास्ति इति)

• सत्कृत्य: having honored
• सत्कृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत् + कृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• भिक्षवे: to a mendicant/beggar
• भिक्षवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• भिक्षा: alms
• भिक्षा: Karma (Thing given/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दातव्या: must be given
• दातव्या: Kriya (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दातव्य (प्रातिपदिक; दा (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भिक्षा इति विशेषण/विधेय)

• सुव्रताय: to the well-vowed (virtuous one)
• सुव्रताय: Qualifier (Recipient-qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भिक्षवे इति विशेषण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Do not turn away a guest even in the evening; honor him; give alms-food to a mendicant and to one devoted to righteous vows.

Vedantic Theme: Ego-softening through unconditional giving; seeing the divine in the guest (atithi) and in renunciant discipline (vrata) cultivates sattva and devotion-friendly mind.

Application: Keep a small reserve for unexpected guests; practice respectful reception at any hour; support mendicants/ethical practitioners with food or resources; cultivate non-excuse-making generosity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: threshold/guest-reception at evening

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96.15-18

Characters & Entities

• Atithi
• Bhikshu

FAQs

What is the importance of atithi-dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats welcoming and feeding a guest as a non-negotiable duty—one should not send an atithi away, even at night—framing hospitality as a core expression of dharma.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on karma?

By commanding respectful hospitality and alms-giving, it points to everyday ethical actions that generate punya (merit), complementing the Purana’s wider focus on consequences of conduct and the moral order governing post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not dismiss someone seeking shelter/food late in the day; offer respectful reception and share a meal or charity according to capacity, especially to sincere seekers and disciplined practitioners.