Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 26, Shloka 31
Adhyaya 26 — Madālasa Names Alarka and Reorients Him Toward Kshatriya Duty
सदाप्यायते सुभ्रु ! तद्वद्देवातिथोऽनपि ।
देवैर्मनुष्यैः पितृभिः प्रेतैर्भूतैः सगुह्यकैः ॥
sadāpyāyate subhru! tadvat devātitho 'n api / devair manuṣyaiḥ pitṛbhiḥ pretair bhūtaiḥ sa-guhyakaiḥ //
ਹੇ ਸੁੰਦਰ-ਭੌਂਹਾਂ ਵਾਲੀਏ, ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇਵਤੇ ਅਤੇ ਅਤਿਥੀ ਵੀ ਸਦਾ ਪਾਲੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ—ਦੇਵਾਂ, ਮਨੁੱਖਾਂ, ਪਿਤਰਾਂ, ਪ੍ਰੇਤਾਂ, ਭੂਤਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਗੁਹ੍ਯਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਵੀ।
FAQs
The verse expands dharma beyond humans: hospitality and offerings maintain a multi-realm reciprocity. The householder’s rites are portrayed as a cosmic economy sustaining visible and invisible communities.
Not a core pañcalakṣaṇa unit; it is dharma teaching within Anucarita, using cosmological categories as support.
‘Nourishment’ indicates prāṇic circulation across planes. Guests (atithi) also symbolize the divine arriving unannounced; serving them is serving the totality of beings (sarva-bhūta-hita).