Shloka 61

Devanagari script

अज्ञातकुलनामानम् अन्यतः समुपागतम् पूजयेद् अतिथिं सम्यङ् नैकग्रामनिवासिनम्

Transliteration

ajñātakulanāmānam anyataḥ samupāgatam pūjayed atithiṃ samyaṅ naikagrāmanivāsinam

Translation

One should properly honor as an atithi the traveler who arrives from elsewhere, whose lineage and name are unknown—especially one who is not a habitual wanderer dwelling among many villages; such a guest is to be received with fitting reverence.

Word by Word

• अज्ञातकुलनामानम्: whose family and name are unknown
• अज्ञातकुलनामानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञात + कुल + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘अज्ञाते कुलनामनी यस्य’ इत्यर्थे (whose family and name are unknown); अतिथिम् इति विशेषणम्

• अन्यतः: from elsewhere
• अन्यतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक/दिशावाचक (from elsewhere)

• समुपागतम्: who has come/arrived
• समुपागतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उप + आ + गम् (धातु) → समुपागत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; अतिथिम् इति विशेषणम्

• पूजयेत्: should honor
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अतिथिम्: the guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (properly, duly)

• नैकग्रामनिवासिनम्: not a resident of a single village (not a local)
• नैकग्रामनिवासिनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न + एक + ग्राम + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘न एकग्रामे निवासिन्’ (not residing in one village; i.e., not a local/unknown wanderer); अतिथिम् इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Definition/qualification of an atithi: an unknown traveller from elsewhere, not a habitual local wanderer; to be honored properly

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: clarificatory and normative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The true atithi is a traveller from elsewhere, unknown in name and lineage, and should be honored with due reverence rather than judged by familiarity or status.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat unfamiliar visitors and those outside your social circle with baseline dignity and support, while using practical discernment about habitual exploiters.

Vishishtadvaita: Reverence is not contingent on jāti/identity because all selves are dependents of the Lord; ethical discernment operates within universal respect.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

FAQs

What is the significance of atithi-sevā (honoring the guest) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames hospitality as a concrete duty of dharma: even an unknown traveller from elsewhere must be received properly, showing that social righteousness is upheld through compassionate, disciplined household conduct.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper conduct toward strangers or unknown visitors?

Parāśara teaches that the householder should honor an arriving guest even when the person’s name and lineage are unknown, emphasizing right reception (samyak-pūjā) over social identification.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s dharma-teaching implies that maintaining dharma through such acts sustains the divine order governed by Vishnu as the Supreme Reality.