Shloka 77

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

गोदोहमात्रकालं वै प्रतीक्ष्यो ह्यतिथिः स्वयम् / अभ्यागतान्यथाशक्ति पूजयेदतिथिं तथा

Transliteration

godohamātrakālaṃ vai pratīkṣyo hyatithiḥ svayam / abhyāgatānyathāśakti pūjayedatithiṃ tathā

Translation

ควรรอคอยแขกด้วยตนเองเป็นเวลาพอ ๆ กับเวลาที่ใช้รีดนมวัว และเมื่อแขกมาถึงแล้ว พึงต้อนรับและบูชาตามกำลังของตน

Word by Word

• गोदोहमात्रकालम्: (for) the time of a cow-milking
• गोदोहमात्रकालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोदोह (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (गोदोहेन मात्रः कालः = time only as long as milking a cow)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• प्रतीक्ष्यः: to be waited for
• प्रतीक्ष्यः: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रतीक्षितव्यः’ = to be waited for

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (reason/indeed)

• अतिथिः: guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: personally/by oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (reflexive adverb)

• अभ्यागतान्: those who have arrived (guests)
• अभ्यागतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle) ‘अभ्यागत’ = arrived; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यथा-शक्ति: according to one’s ability
• यथा-शक्ति: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययभावे (adverbial)

• पूजयेत्: one should honor/worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अतिथिम्: the guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (manner)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wait a reasonable time for the guest and honor arrivals according to capacity; hospitality is a daily sacrifice.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara-buddhi in service: seeing the divine in the guest; karma-yoga through offering without ego.

Application: Keep a small reserve for guests; cultivate readiness to receive; offer water/seat/food proportionate to means.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.50.78 (dana to bhikshu/brahmacarin); Garuda Purana 1.50.79 (pancha-mahayajna obligation)

FAQs

What is the importance of atithi-seva (honoring guests) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats hospitality as a direct duty (dharma): one should personally make time to receive a guest and honor them sincerely, even if the offering is modest.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

While not describing the afterlife directly, it reinforces dharmic conduct in daily life—ethical duties like honoring guests are part of the merit-building discipline that the Garuda Purana links to one’s post-death welfare.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Set aside a small, definite window to welcome visitors (even briefly) and offer what you can—water, a seat, kind words, or food—without exceeding your capacity.