Shloka 23
Pātra-Nirṇaya and Ritual Procedure: Who to Feed, Who to Avoid, and Step-by-Step Śrāddha Performance
काले तत्रातिथिं प्राप्तम् अन्नकामं नृपाध्वगम् ब्राह्मणैर् अभ्यनुज्ञातः कामं तम् अपि भोजयेत्
kāle tatrātithiṃ prāptam annakāmaṃ nṛpādhvagam brāhmaṇair abhyanujñātaḥ kāmaṃ tam api bhojayet
Wahai Raja, bila pada waktu yang tepat datang seorang tamu—seorang pengembara di jalan raya yang menginginkan makanan—maka dengan persetujuan para brahmana, hendaknya ia pun diberi santapan sesuai kehendaknya.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Conduct during rites when an atithi arrives: feeding a traveler with brāhmaṇa consent as part of gṛhastha-dharma
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: compassionate and socially directive
Concept: Hospitality to the unexpected guest—especially a hungry traveler—is a direct obligation of dharma and must be integrated into ritual life, not postponed by it.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Treat the needy interrupting your plans as a priority; offer food, time, and respect, coordinating responsibly with community/elders when appropriate.
Vishishtadvaita: The atithi is to be served as Nārāyaṇa’s presence (antaryāmin): God is honored through compassionate service to embodied beings.
Vishnu Form: Narayana
Bhakti Type: Dasya
Antaryamin: Yes
FAQs
This verse frames hospitality as a core household obligation: even an unplanned traveler seeking food should be fed, making service (anna-dāna) a visible act of maintaining dharma.
Parāśara teaches that feeding is to be done at the proper time and in right order, and that a guest-traveler may be fed as well—especially when sanctioned by the Brahmins—showing discipline joined to compassion.
Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the ethic reflects a Vaishnava Purana’s view that dharma and social order are upheld under the Supreme’s sovereignty; feeding the needy becomes an offering that aligns life with that sustaining Reality.