Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18
एवमुक्त्वा स विप्रेंद्रस्ततः प्रोवाच केशवम् । आतिथ्यं विहितं ह्येतत्तव पत्न्या यथोचितम् । तस्मात्तत्र प्रयास्यामि यत्र स्यात्तादृशी सुता
evamuktvā sa vipreṃdrastataḥ provāca keśavam | ātithyaṃ vihitaṃ hyetattava patnyā yathocitam | tasmāttatra prayāsyāmi yatra syāttādṛśī sutā
یوں کہہ کر وہ برہمنوں میں سردار پھر کیشو سے بولا: “تمہاری پتنی نے جیسا مناسب تھا ویسا ہی آتِتھّیہ (مہمان نوازی) باقاعدہ ادا کیا ہے۔ اس لیے میں اس جگہ جاؤں گا جہاں ایسی ہی صفت والی بیٹی مل سکے۔”
Viprendra (the foremost brāhmaṇa) speaking to Keśava
Scene: A venerable brāhmaṇa, satisfied, speaks to Keśava; the wife stands modestly after offering hospitality; the brāhmaṇa prepares to depart in search of a worthy daughter/bride.
FAQs
Atithi-dharma (honoring guests) is a sacred duty; proper hospitality is acknowledged as a source of merit and right order.
No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues a narrative within a tīrtha-glorifying chapter.
Hospitality (ātithya) is affirmed as something to be done “yathocitam”—according to propriety and dharmic fitness.