Shloka 37
Bhāgīrathī-tīra-śauca, Kurukṣetra-gamana, and Śatayūpa-āśrama-dīkṣā (गङ्गातीरशौच–कुरुक्षेत्रगमन–शतयूपाश्रमदीक्षा)
यदर्थो हि नरो राजंस्तदर्थो5स्यातिथि: स्मृतः । इत्युक्त: स तथेत्येवं प्राह धर्मात्मजो नृपम्,“राजन! मनुष्य जिन वस्तुओंका स्वयं उपयोग करता है, उन्हीं वस्तुओंसे वह अतिथिका भी सत्कार करे--ऐसी शास्त्रकी आज्ञा है।” उनके ऐसा कहनेपर धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने “बहुत अच्छा” कहकर उनकी आज्ञा स्वीकार की और उनके दिये हुए फल- मूलका भाइयोंसहित भोजन किया। तदनन्तर उन सब लोगोंने फल-मूल और जलका ही आहार करके वृक्षोंके नीचे ही रहनेका निश्चय कर वहीं वह रात्रि व्यतीत की
yad-artho hi naro rājan tad-artho 'syātithiḥ smṛtaḥ | ity uktaḥ sa tathety evaṁ prāha dharmātmajo nṛpam |
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, the rule is this: whatever a man uses for his own needs, with those very things he should honor a guest—such is the ordinance of the śāstra.” When this was said, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira replied, “So be it,” accepting the instruction; and together with his brothers he ate the fruits and roots that were offered. Thereafter, all of them resolved to live beneath the trees, sustaining themselves only on fruits, roots, and water, and they spent the night there—embracing simplicity and hospitality as a form of dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should honor a guest using the very resources one uses oneself; true hospitality is not display but sharing one’s own sustenance, as enjoined by śāstra.
An instruction about atithi-dharma is stated; Yudhiṣṭhira accepts it, eats the offered fruits and roots with his brothers, and they decide to live simply under trees, taking only fruits, roots, and water for the night.