Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36
कुमाराश्च स्ववासिन्यो गर्भिण्योऽतिरुजान्विताः । अतिथेरादितोप्येते भोज्या नात्र विचारणा
kumārāśca svavāsinyo garbhiṇyo'tirujānvitāḥ | atitherāditopyete bhojyā nātra vicāraṇā
పిల్లలు, ఇంటి స్త్రీలు, గర్భిణీలు, తీవ్రమైన రోగంతో బాధపడేవారు—వీళ్లకూ అతిథికి ముందే భోజనం పెట్టాలి; ఇందులో సందేహం లేదు.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A household meal scene: a mother, a pregnant woman, a sick person resting, and children are served first; the guest is then served respectfully—showing dharma as compassionate order rather than rigid formality.
FAQs
Dharma is compassionate and protective: the vulnerable (children, pregnant, sick) must be cared for without hesitation.
The guidance is embedded in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī setting, presenting an ideal dharmic household culture in the sacred city.
A feeding order (bhojana-krama): feed dependents and the vulnerable first, even before serving the atithi.