Shloka 62

Devanagari script

अकिंचनम् असंबन्धम् अन्यदेशाद् उपागतम् असंपूज्यातिथिं भुञ्जन् भोक्तुकामं व्रजत्य् अधः

Transliteration

akiṃcanam asaṃbandham anyadeśād upāgatam asaṃpūjyātithiṃ bhuñjan bhoktukāmaṃ vrajaty adhaḥ

Translation

ຜູ້ໃດມີແຕ່ຄວາມຢາກກິນ ແລ້ວກິນອາຫານໂດຍບໍ່ໄດ້ນັບຖືຕ້ອນຮັບແຂກກ່ອນ—ແຂກທີ່ທຸກຍາກ ບໍ່ມີສາຍພົວພັນ ແລະມາຈາກແດນໄກ—ຜູ້ນັ້ນຈະຕົກຕໍ່າ ເພາະລະເມີດທຳແຫ່ງການຕ້ອນຮັບອາຄັນຕຸກະ।

Word by Word

• अकिंचनम्: one who has nothing; destitute
• अकिंचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-kiṃcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• असंबन्धम्: unrelated; having no connection
• असंबन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-saṃbandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• अन्यदेशात्: from another country/place
• अन्यदेशात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya-deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)

• उपागतम्: arrived; come
• उपागतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√gam (गम् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Past participle, Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• असंपूज्य: without honoring
• असंपूज्य: Purvakala/Kriya-viseshana (Prior action modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-saṃ-√pūj (पूज् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभावः (gerundial/absolutive sense), उपसर्गपूर्वक; विशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable gerundial used adjectivally: 'without honoring')

• अतिथिम्: guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• भुञ्जन्: eating; consuming
• भुञ्जन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (भुज् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि (Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• भोक्तुकामम्: desirous to eat
• भोक्तुकामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhoktu-kāma (प्रातिपदिक); bhoktu (तुमुनन्त/infinitive of √bhuj) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• व्रजति: goes
• व्रजति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• अधः: downwards; below
• अधः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of direction)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Duties of householders and the dharma of atithi-satkara (hospitality) within varna-ashrama conduct

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hospitality to the unexpected, destitute guest is a binding dharma; eating without honoring such an atithi causes moral and spiritual decline.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before personal consumption, cultivate a habit of offering food/resources to those who arrive in need—especially the unconnected stranger—so desire does not override conscience.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is service to Bhagavan’s order by honoring the divine presence implicit in beings who come to one’s door.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Atithi (guest)

FAQs

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

This verse teaches that honoring a guest—especially a vulnerable stranger—must precede one’s own enjoyment of food; neglecting this duty causes moral and spiritual downfall.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ethical priority of serving others before oneself?

By framing eating without first honoring the guest as a dharmic violation, Parāśara makes self-restraint and service the proper order of household conduct.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s dharma-teaching rests on preserving cosmic order (ṛta/dharma), which the Vaishnava tradition understands as upheld by Vishnu as the supreme sustainer.