Shloka 21

Daśagrīva-boonāvaraṇa, Viṣṇv-avatāra-niyoga, Vānara-sahāya-janana, Mantharā-nirmāṇa

Devanagari script

यथाशक्ति प्रयच्छेत सम्पूज्याभिप्रणम्य च । काले प्राप्ते च हृष्टात्मा राजन्‌ विगतमत्सर:,“राजन! समयपर यदि कोई अतिथि आ जाय तो क्रोधरहित और प्रसन्नचित्त होकर अपनी शक्तिके अनुसार उसे दान दे; और विधिवत्‌ पूजन करके उसे प्रणाम करे

Transliteration

yathāśakti prayacchet sampūjyābhipraṇamya ca | kāle prāpte ca hṛṣṭātmā rājan vigatamatsaraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, when the proper time comes and a guest arrives, one should, free from anger and jealousy, welcome him with a glad heart; give according to one’s capacity, honor him with due worship, and bow respectfully.”

Word by Word

यथाas/according to

शक्तिability/power

प्रयच्छेत्should give/bestow

सम्पूज्यhaving duly honored/worshipped

अभिप्रणम्यhaving bowed down/saluted

चand

कालेat the proper time

प्राप्तेwhen (the time) has come/arrived

चand

हृष्टात्माwith delighted mind

राजन्O king

विगतमत्सरःfree from envy/jealousy

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches atithi-dharma: when a guest arrives, one should receive him with joy, without anger or envy, give within one’s means, honor him properly, and show humility through respectful obeisance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is instructing a king on righteous conduct, emphasizing the proper reception of guests as a key ethical duty—combining generosity (dāna), reverence (pūjā), and humility (praṇāma).