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
جب مہمان راضی ہو جائے تو گھر کا مالک ‘نریَجْنَ’ (لوگوں کی خدمت) سے پیدا ہونے والے قرضوں سے آزاد ہو جاتا ہے۔ اس لیے جو پہلے دیے بغیر خود ہی کھاتا ہے، وہ انسان گناہ ہی کھاتا ہے۔
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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.