Shloka 42
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
तामथौघवतीं राजन् स पावकसुतो<ब्रवीत् । अतिथे: प्रतिकूलं ते न कर्तव्यं कथंचन,राजन्! अग्निकुमार सुदर्शनने ओघवतीसे कहा--'देवि! तुम्हें अतिथिके प्रतिकूल किसी तरह कोई कार्य नहीं करना चाहिये”
tām athaughavatīṃ rājan sa pāvakasuto 'bravīt | atitheḥ pratikūlaṃ te na kartavyaṃ kathaṃcana, rājan ||
Bhīṣma said: Then Pavaka’s son addressed Oghavatī: “O Queen, never—under any circumstance—do anything that runs against the welfare and honor of a guest (atithi).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The core teaching is atithi-dharma: one should never act in a way that is adverse to a guest. Respectful hospitality is presented as a binding ethical duty, not a matter of convenience.
Within Bhishma’s discourse, Agni’s son speaks to Oghavatī, instructing her that she must not do anything contrary to a guest’s due treatment—framing the episode as a moral lesson on proper conduct toward guests.