Shloka 60

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

श्रद्धया चान्नदानेन प्रियप्रश्नोत्तरेण च गच्छतश् चानुयानेन प्रीतिम् उत्पादयेद् गृही

Transliteration

śraddhayā cānnadānena priyapraśnottareṇa ca gacchataś cānuyānena prītim utpādayed gṛhī

Translation

A householder should cultivate goodwill and affectionate regard by offering food with faith, by exchanging gentle and pleasing questions and answers, and by respectfully seeing guests off as they depart.

Word by Word

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (and)

• अन्नदानेन: by giving food
• अन्नदानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न + दान (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘अन्नस्य दानम्’

• प्रियप्रश्नोत्तरेण: with pleasant conversation (questions and replies)
• प्रियप्रश्नोत्तरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय + प्रश्न + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘प्रियाः प्रश्नोत्तराः’ (pleasant questions and answers)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (and)

• गच्छतः: of the departing (guest)
• गच्छतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गच्छत् (कृदन्त; गम् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Pres. Part./शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘अतिथेः’ इत्यर्थे—‘गच्छतः (अतिथेः)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (and)

• अनुयानेन: by accompanying (him)
• अनुयानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु + यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘अनुगमनम्’ इत्यर्थः

• प्रीतिम्: pleasure/satisfaction
• प्रीतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• उत्पादयेत्: should produce/cause (to arise)
• उत्पादयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगार्थः (causative sense: cause to arise)

• गृही: the householder
• गृही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya on dharma)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How a householder generates prīti (goodwill) toward guests: food with śraddhā, pleasant dialogue, and respectful send-off

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate and practical

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hospitality becomes dharma when imbued with śraddhā—feeding, kind conversation, and respectful accompaniment create genuine prīti.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice ‘anna-sevā’ with sincerity: offer food without contempt, speak kindly, and escort guests courteously (even a few steps) as a discipline of humility.

Vishishtadvaita: Śraddhā-infused service aligns the self as the Lord’s servant, expressing devotion through relational ethics rather than abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

FAQs

What is the significance of feeding guests (annadāna) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats annadāna done with śraddhā as a primary way a householder generates prīti—social and spiritual goodwill—supporting dharma through daily hospitality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper conduct toward visitors and departing guests?

He frames it as a threefold etiquette: give food with faith, speak pleasantly through gentle questions and answers, and accompany the departing person respectfully—each action cultivating harmony.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named here, the teaching reflects Vaishnava dharma: sustaining the world-order through righteous household conduct, which is ultimately aligned with Vishnu as the preserver of cosmic and social stability.