Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 45
वैश्वदेवांतरे प्राप्तः सूर्योढो वातिथिः स्मृतः । अतिथेरादितोप्येते भोज्या नात्र विचारणा
vaiśvadevāṃtare prāptaḥ sūryoḍho vātithiḥ smṛtaḥ | atitherāditopyete bhojyā nātra vicāraṇā
ବୈଶ୍ୱଦେବର ମଧ୍ୟବେଳେ ଯେ ଆସେ—ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଦୟ ପୂର୍ବେ କିମ୍ବା ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଦୟ ସମୟରେ—ସେଇ ‘ଅତିଥି’ ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ। ଅତିଥିକୁ ପ୍ରଥମେ ରଖି ଏମାନଙ୍କୁ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ଭୋଜନ ଦେବା ଉଚିତ; ଏଠାରେ ଦ୍ୱିଧା ନାହିଁ।
Deductive (sectional narration; likely Sūta speaking in a dharma-teaching passage)
Scene: Dawn scene: a traveler arrives at a house during the Vaiśvadeva time; the householder pauses the rite and welcomes him, offering water for feet and a meal; the rising sun at horizon signifies the time definition.
FAQs
Hospitality is non-negotiable: feeding the guest at the proper time is treated as a direct act of dharma.
No specific tīrtha is referenced; the teaching concerns household ritual timing around Vaiśvadeva.
It links the recognition and feeding of an atithi to the Vaiśvadeva time-window and instructs feeding without hesitation.