Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

आगतान् भोजयेत्सर्वान्महोक्षं श्रोत्रियाय च / प्रतिसंवत्सरं त्वर्च्याः स्नातकाचार्यपार्थिवाः

Transliteration

āgatān bhojayetsarvānmahokṣaṃ śrotriyāya ca / pratisaṃvatsaraṃ tvarcyāḥ snātakācāryapārthivāḥ

Translation

One should feed all guests who arrive, and also present a great bull to a śrotriya, a Veda-knowing Brahmin. Moreover, each year one should honor with worship and due respect the snātaka, one’s teacher, and the king.

Word by Word

• आगतान्: those who have come (guests)
• आगतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; भूतकृत्-प्रत्यय (क्त), ‘आगत’ = come/arrived

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘to cause to eat/feed’

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• महोक्षम्: a great bull (as offering/gift)
• महोक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रोत्रियाय: to a learned Vedic scholar
• श्रोत्रियाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

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

• प्रतिसंवत्सरम्: every year
• प्रतिसंवत्सरम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• अर्च्याः: are to be honoured
• अर्च्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च्य (कृदन्त; √अर्च् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; ‘अर्च्य’ = worthy of worship/honour

• स्नातकाचार्यपार्थिवाः: graduates (snātakas), teachers, and kings
• स्नातकाचार्यपार्थिवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नातक (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार/इतरेतर); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समुच्चित-समूहः

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue instruction to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Atithi-pūjā and dāna to śrotriya; annual honoring of snātaka, ācārya, and ruler as supports of dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: purifying action (dāna, satkāra) performed with reverence, reducing rāga-dveṣa and building sattva.

Application: Maintain a household practice of feeding unexpected guests; support Vedic learning through meaningful gifts; set an annual day to honor teachers/mentors and civic guardians.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household (griha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma-kāṇḍa) sections on gṛhastha-dharma, atithi-satkara, and dāna; Garuda Purana passages praising śrotriya-sevā and guru-pūjā

Characters & Entities

• Śrotriya
• Snātaka
• Ācārya
• Pārthiva (King)

FAQs

What is the importance of feeding guests (atithi-sevā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats feeding arriving guests as a direct duty of dharma, placing hospitality among the core daily ethical observances for householders.

How does this verse relate to merit (puṇya) and one’s post-death journey in the Garuda Purana?

By emphasizing dāna (gifts) and honoring worthy persons (śrotriya, guru, snātaka, king), it points to conduct that accumulates puṇya—an underlying theme used in the Purāṇa to explain favorable outcomes after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice consistent hospitality, support genuine Vedic learning/teaching through ethical charity, honor one’s teachers, and respect just civic order—translating ritual duty into disciplined, service-oriented living.