Shloka 91
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
तस्माद् गृहाश्रमस्थस्य नान्यद् दैवतमस्ति वै । ऋते5तिर्थिं नरव्यात्र मनसैतद् विचारय
tasmād gṛhāśramasthasya nānyad daivatam asti vai | ṛte ’tithiṃ naravyāghra manasaitad vicāraya puruṣasiṃha ||
ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ, ನರవ్యಾಘ್ರನೇ! ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಇದನ್ನು ದೃಢವಾಗಿ ವಿಚಾರಿಸು: ಗೃಹಸ್ಥಾಶ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿರುವವನಿಗೆ ಅತಿಥಿಯನ್ನು ಹೊರತುಪಡಿಸಿ ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ಬೇರೆ ದೇವತೆ ಇಲ್ಲ.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
For a householder, serving the atithi is the highest and most immediate form of religious duty—so central that the guest is treated as the primary ‘deity’ to be honored through food, respect, and care.
Bhīṣma is instructing the listener (addressed as ‘naravyāghra’ and ‘puruṣasiṃha’) on gṛhastha-dharma, emphasizing that the ethical and spiritual responsibility of hospitality stands above other ritual priorities for householders.