Shloka 18
यस्माजन्नाद्रियते कश्नचित् ततो5हं समवासयम्
yasmāj janādriyate kaścit tato 'haṃ samavāsayam |
Vāyu disse: “Meu filho, como ninguém entre os homens lhe mostrou respeito, eu lhe dei pouso em minha própria casa. Às vezes, numa única refeição, ele consumia comida suficiente para saciar muitos milhares de homens; outras vezes comia muito pouco e então saía de casa—e, num dia assim, não voltava mais.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights atithi-dharma: when society fails to honor a worthy guest, a righteous person should still offer shelter and respect. It also suggests that one should not judge spiritual worth by outward habits like eating patterns; the ethical focus is on honoring and supporting the deserving.
Vāyu narrates that because no one else respected the person, he lodged him in his own home. The guest’s behavior is described as variable—sometimes eating an enormous quantity, sometimes very little and then departing, not returning that day—emphasizing the unusual, ascetic, or testing nature of the visitor.