Shloka 19

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

अप्रणोद्यो ऽतिथिः सायमपि नात्र विचारणा / सत्कृत्य भिक्षवे भिक्षा दातव्या सुव्रताय च

Transliteration

apraṇodyo 'tithiḥ sāyamapi nātra vicāraṇā / satkṛtya bhikṣave bhikṣā dātavyā suvratāya ca

Translation

Không được xua đuổi khách—dù là buổi chiều tối; điều này không cần bàn cãi. Sau khi kính tiếp, hãy bố thí cơm xin cho vị khất sĩ, và cũng cho người giữ vững thiện nguyện (suvrata) trong chánh pháp.

Word by Word

• अप्रणोद्यः: not to be turned away
• अप्रणोद्यः: Qualifier (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्रणोद्य (प्रातिपदिक; प्र + नुद् (धातु) + ण्यत्)
• Form: ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अतिथिः इति विशेषण)

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

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (evening)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• न: no/not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here/in this matter)

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (Predicate-noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नास्ति इति)

• सत्कृत्य: having honored
• सत्कृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत् + कृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• भिक्षवे: to a mendicant/beggar
• भिक्षवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• भिक्षा: alms
• भिक्षा: Karma (Thing given/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दातव्या: must be given
• दातव्या: Kriya (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दातव्य (प्रातिपदिक; दा (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भिक्षा इति विशेषण/विधेय)

• सुव्रताय: to the well-vowed (virtuous one)
• सुव्रताय: Qualifier (Recipient-qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भिक्षवे इति विशेषण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Do not turn away a guest even in the evening; honor him; give alms-food to a mendicant and to one devoted to righteous vows.

Vedantic Theme: Ego-softening through unconditional giving; seeing the divine in the guest (atithi) and in renunciant discipline (vrata) cultivates sattva and devotion-friendly mind.

Application: Keep a small reserve for unexpected guests; practice respectful reception at any hour; support mendicants/ethical practitioners with food or resources; cultivate non-excuse-making generosity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: threshold/guest-reception at evening

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96.15-18

Characters & Entities

• Atithi
• Bhikshu

FAQs

What is the importance of atithi-dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats welcoming and feeding a guest as a non-negotiable duty—one should not send an atithi away, even at night—framing hospitality as a core expression of dharma.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on karma?

By commanding respectful hospitality and alms-giving, it points to everyday ethical actions that generate punya (merit), complementing the Purana’s wider focus on consequences of conduct and the moral order governing post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not dismiss someone seeking shelter/food late in the day; offer respectful reception and share a meal or charity according to capacity, especially to sincere seekers and disciplined practitioners.