दारुवनलीला—नीललोहितपरीक्षा, ब्रह्मोपदेशः, अतिथिधर्मः, संन्यासक्रमः
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुनः प्राह सुदर्शनः देयं सर्वं शिवायार्ये शिव एवातिथिः स्वयम्
tasyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā punaḥ prāha sudarśanaḥ deyaṃ sarvaṃ śivāyārye śiva evātithiḥ svayam
Nghe lời nàng, Sudarśana lại nói: “Thưa phu nhân cao quý, hãy dâng hiến mọi sự lên Śiva; vì chính Śiva đích thân là vị khách (atithi) hiện đến.”
Suta Goswami (narrating); within the story: Sudarshana
It frames all giving (dāna) and hospitality (atithi-sevā) as direct Śiva-pūjā—treating the guest as Śiva and offering without reserve, which is a key devotional attitude behind Linga worship.
Śiva is presented as immediately present and accessible—‘Śiva Himself is the guest’—highlighting Pati as immanent in sacred encounters, receiving offerings through dharmic action.
Atithi-sevā as a form of Śaiva dāna and pūjā: offering one’s resources and intention to Śiva, a practical discipline that loosens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (individual soul) by orienting action toward Pati.