Shloka 61

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

पृच्छते हुन्नदातारं गृहमायाति चाशया । त॑ पूजयाथ यत्नेन सो3तिथित्रद्यमिणश्व॒ सः

Transliteration

pṛcchate hy annadātāraṃ gṛham āyāti cāśayā | taṃ pūjayātha yatnena so 'tithir dharmam īkṣate ||

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்—அவன் அன்னதானம் அளிப்பவரை விசாரித்து, நம்பிக்கையுடன் வீட்டிற்கு வருகிறான். ஆகவே அந்த விருந்தினரை கவனத்துடன் மரியாதை செய்; விருந்தினர் தர்மத்தைச் சோதிப்பவர் ஆவார்.

Word by Word

पृच्छतेasks, inquires

हिindeed, for

अन्नदातारम्the giver of food

गृहम्home, house

आयातिcomes, arrives

चand

आशयाwith hope, in expectation

तम्him

पूजयाथyou all should honor

यत्नेनwith effort, carefully

सःhe

अतिथिःa guest

तत्that

यमिणश्वcorrupt/unclear reading (needs emendation)

सःhe

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)

अ

अतिथि (guest)

ग

गृह (house/home)

अ

अन्नदाता (giver of food/host)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches atithi-dharma: a guest arrives with hope and should be received with deliberate respect and care. Honoring the guest is presented as a direct expression of dharma, and the guest’s presence functions as a moral test of the householder’s conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana states a general rule of conduct: when a guest comes to a home seeking sustenance and goodwill, the householders should honor him attentively. The statement frames hospitality not as mere courtesy but as a dharmic obligation.