Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

अकिंचनम् असंबन्धम् अन्यदेशाद् उपागतम् असंपूज्यातिथिं भुञ्जन् भोक्तुकामं व्रजत्य् अधः

Transliteration

akiṃcanam asaṃbandham anyadeśād upāgatam asaṃpūjyātithiṃ bhuñjan bhoktukāmaṃ vrajaty adhaḥ

Translation

He who, driven only by the desire to eat, partakes of food without first honoring the guest—destitute, unrelated, and come from another land—falls downward, for he violates the sacred law of hospitality.

Word by Word

• अकिंचनम्: one who has nothing; destitute
• अकिंचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-kiṃcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• असंबन्धम्: unrelated; having no connection
• असंबन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-saṃbandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• अन्यदेशात्: from another country/place
• अन्यदेशात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya-deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)

• उपागतम्: arrived; come
• उपागतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√gam (गम् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Past participle, Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• असंपूज्य: without honoring
• असंपूज्य: Purvakala/Kriya-viseshana (Prior action modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-saṃ-√pūj (पूज् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभावः (gerundial/absolutive sense), उपसर्गपूर्वक; विशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable gerundial used adjectivally: 'without honoring')

• अतिथिम्: guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• भुञ्जन्: eating; consuming
• भुञ्जन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (भुज् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि (Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• भोक्तुकामम्: desirous to eat
• भोक्तुकामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhoktu-kāma (प्रातिपदिक); bhoktu (तुमुनन्त/infinitive of √bhuj) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• व्रजति: goes
• व्रजति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• अधः: downwards; below
• अधः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of direction)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Duties of householders and the dharma of atithi-satkara (hospitality) within varna-ashrama conduct

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hospitality to the unexpected, destitute guest is a binding dharma; eating without honoring such an atithi causes moral and spiritual decline.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before personal consumption, cultivate a habit of offering food/resources to those who arrive in need—especially the unconnected stranger—so desire does not override conscience.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is service to Bhagavan’s order by honoring the divine presence implicit in beings who come to one’s door.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Atithi (guest)

FAQs

What is the significance of atithi-dharma (hospitality) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that honoring a guest—especially a vulnerable stranger—must precede one’s own enjoyment of food; neglecting this duty causes moral and spiritual downfall.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ethical priority of serving others before oneself?

By framing eating without first honoring the guest as a dharmic violation, Parāśara makes self-restraint and service the proper order of household conduct.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s dharma-teaching rests on preserving cosmic order (ṛta/dharma), which the Vaishnava tradition understands as upheld by Vishnu as the supreme sustainer.