Shloka 19

Gārhasthya-dharma: Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī-saṃvāda

Householder Duties and Daily Offerings

Devanagari script

महाराज! इसके बाद विशेष अन्तके द्वारा अतिथियोंको भी सम्मानपूर्वक भोजन करावे। ऐसा करनेसे गृहस्थ पुरुष सम्पूर्ण मनुष्योंको संतुष्ट करता है ।।

Transliteration

mahārāja! tataḥ paraṁ viśeṣāntakena atithīn api satkṛtya bhojayet. evaṁ kṛte gṛhasthaḥ puruṣaḥ sarvān manuṣyān saṁtoṣayati. gṛhastha-dharma-sambandhe śrīkṛṣṇasya pṛthivyā saha saṁvādaḥ— anityaṁ hi sthito yasmāt tasmād atithir ucyate. ācāryasya pituś caiva sakhy-upāptasya cātitheḥ, sadā nivedayet— ‘amukaṁ vastu me gṛhe vidyate; tad bhavān gṛhṇātu.’ tataḥ yathā te ājñāpayeyuḥ tathāiva kuryāt. evaṁ kṛte dharmasya pālanaṁ bhavati.

Translation

О царь, затем следует с особой заботой почтить и гостей, предложив им пищу с уважением. Поступая так, домохозяин удовлетворяет всех людей. В наставлении о долге домохозяина — изложенном как беседа Шри Кришны с Землёй — «гостем» (atithi) называют того, кто не пребывает в доме постоянно. Поэтому учителю (ācārya), отцу, доверенному другу, пришедшему в дом, и гостю следует всегда говорить: «То-то и то-то есть в моём доме; примите это». А затем поступать в точности так, как они велят. Так соблюдается дхарма.

Word by Word

• अनित्यम्: not permanently
• अनित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनित्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• स्थितः: staying/remaining
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: kta (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यस्मात्: because of which/from whom
• यस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अतिथिः: guest
• अतिथिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is called
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, Passive, Third, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)
• महाराज (the King, addressee)
• अतिथि (guest)
• आचार्य (teacher)
• पिता (father)
• विश्वासपात्र मित्र (trusted friend)
• श्रीकृष्ण (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• पृथ्वी (Pṛthivī, the Earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A householder upholds dharma by honoring and feeding guests and respected persons (teacher, father, trusted friend) with sincere offerings, and by acting according to their wishes; hospitality is framed as a central social-ethical duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva instructs the king on householder conduct, citing a teaching presented as a dialogue of Śrī Kṛṣṇa with the Earth: a guest is defined as one who does not stay permanently, and the host should invite such persons to accept what is available and then comply with their directions.