Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34
वैश्वदेवांत संप्राप्तः सूर्योढो वातिथिः स्मृतः । न पूर्वकाल आयातो न च दृष्टचरः क्वचित्
vaiśvadevāṃta saṃprāptaḥ sūryoḍho vātithiḥ smṛtaḥ | na pūrvakāla āyāto na ca dṛṣṭacaraḥ kvacit
Celui qui arrive à la fin du rite de Vaiśvadeva, porté par le soleil couchant, est appelé « vā-atithi », l’hôte fortuit et non annoncé : il n’est pas venu plus tôt, et sa conduite n’est pas connue d’avance.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A householder finishing the vaiśvadeva offering as the sun sets; an unknown traveler appears at the doorway—his identity and conduct not previously known—yet he is welcomed as ‘vā-atithi’.
FAQs
Even an unannounced, unknown guest arriving late is to be recognized as an atithi and treated with dharmic care.
The passage is situated in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī framework, teaching daily dharma for residents and pilgrims.
Reference to Vaiśvadeva (a daily offering); the verse marks the guest who comes at its conclusion as a special category needing hospitality.