Shloka 14

चत्वारोऽाश्रमाः — ब्रह्मचर्यादि मोक्षाश्रमपर्यन्तम्

The Four Āśramas as a graded path to mokṣa

Devanagari script

तेषां स्वागतदानादि वक्तव्यं मधुरं नृप गृहागतानां दद्याच् च शयनासनभोजनम्

Transliteration

teṣāṃ svāgatadānādi vaktavyaṃ madhuraṃ nṛpa gṛhāgatānāṃ dadyāc ca śayanāsanabhojanam

Translation

O king, such guests should be welcomed with gracious honor and addressed with gentle, pleasing words; and to those who come to one’s home one should give rest—a bed, a seat, and food—thus fulfilling dharma through hospitality.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• स्वागतदानादि: welcome, gifts, and the like
• स्वागतदानादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वागत (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (स्वागतं च दानं च इत्यादि)

• वक्तव्यम्: should be spoken
• वक्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → वक्तव्य (कृदन्त; तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-कर्तव्यता (gerundive: ‘to be spoken/should be said’)

• मधुरम्: sweet, pleasant
• मधुरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् वक्तव्यम्-इति

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गृहागतानाम्: of those who have come to the house (guests)
• गृहागतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक) + आगत (कृदन्त; आ + √गम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (गृहं आगताः)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शयनासनभोजनम्: bed, seat, and food
• शयनासनभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (शयनं च आसनं च भोजनं च)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; addressed as 'O king' within the teaching)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Concrete practice of atithi-dharma: welcome, sweet speech, and providing bed, seat, and food to guests (addressed to a king as exemplar).

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Atithi-sevā—warm welcome, pleasing speech, and providing rest and food—is a direct enactment of dharma and a devotional service expressed through human relations.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice ‘atithi as sacred’: greet guests kindly, speak gently, and meet basic needs; extend this ethic to strangers and the vulnerable through organized service.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to living beings is service within the Lord’s body (śarīra-śarīrī-bhāva): honoring guests honors the indwelling Lord and Śrī’s auspiciousness in the home.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• King (nṛpa)
• Guests (atithi)

FAQs

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

This verse treats hospitality as a direct expression of dharma: welcoming guests with kind speech and providing food, seating, and rest sustains social order and righteous living.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper conduct toward guests?

He emphasizes both inner disposition and outer action—sweet, respectful words along with tangible care (bed, seat, and meal) for those who arrive at one’s home.

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

By upholding dharma through hospitality, one aligns with Vishnu’s role as the sustainer of cosmic and social order; righteous conduct becomes participation in the preserving principle associated with Vishnu.