Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality
तस्मिंस्तृप्ते नृयज्ञोत्थादृणान्मुच्येद् गृहाश्रमी ।
तस्माददत्त्वा यो भुङ्क्ते स्वयं किल्विषभुङ्नरः ॥
tasmiṃs tṛpte nṛyajñotthād ṛṇān mucyed gṛhāśramī / tasmād adattvā yo bhuṅkte svayaṃ kilviṣabhuṅ naraḥ
अतिथौ तुष्टे गृहस्थो नृयज्ञसमुद्भवैः ऋणैः प्रमुच्यते। तस्माद् यो दत्त्वा न भुङ्क्ते, स्वयमेव भुञ्जानो नरः पापमेव भुङ्क्ते।
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Food is ethically prior to the self: the householder’s meal is legitimate only after fulfilling social-sacral obligations. Hospitality is framed as repayment of a moral debt (ṛṇa).
This is dharma-upadeśa (normative conduct) rather than sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita; it supports the Purāṇa’s role as a guide to right living.
‘Debt’ here can be read as psychic imbalance created by self-centered consumption; giving first restores inner order (ṛta) and makes eating a consecrated act.