Shloka 56
ब्राह्मणानुयात्रा—शौनकोपदेशः
Brāhmaṇas Follow into Exile and Śaunaka’s Instruction
चक्षुर्दद्यान्मनो दद्याद् वाचं दद्यात् सुभाषिताम् । उत्थाय चासन दद्यादेष धर्म: सनातन: । प्रत्युत्थायाभिगमन कुर्यानन््यायेन चार्चनम्,जो अपने घरपर आ जाय, उसे प्रेमभरी दृष्टिसे देखे, मनसे उसके प्रति उत्तम भाव रखे, उससे मीठे वचन बोले और उठकर उसके लिये आसन दे। यह गृहस्थका सनातन धर्म है। अतिथिको आते देख उठकर उसकी अगवानी और यथोचित रीतिसे उसका आदर-सत्कार करे
cakṣur dadyān mano dadyād vācaṃ dadyāt subhāṣitām | utthāya cāsanaṃ dadyād eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | pratyutthāyābhigamanaṃ kuryān nyāyena cārcanam |
Yudhiṣṭhira says: “One should offer the guest a welcoming gaze, offer one’s mind in goodwill, and offer speech that is gentle and well-spoken. Rising, one should also offer a seat—this is the eternal dharma of the householder. Therefore, on seeing a guest arrive, one should stand up to receive him and honor him with fitting, proper acts of hospitality.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the ‘eternal’ duty of a householder to honor a guest through three levels of welcome—kindly sight (cakṣus), benevolent intention (manas), and courteous speech (vāc)—and through concrete action: standing up, going forward to receive, offering a seat, and performing appropriate respectful hospitality.
In the Vana Parva context, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates norms of righteous conduct (dharma) for household life, emphasizing how one should receive an arriving guest: rise, greet, speak kindly, and provide proper honor and accommodation.