Shloka 26

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

सम्पूजयेद्यथाशक्ति गन्धपुष्पादिभिस्तथा ।

न मित्रमतिथिं कुर्यान्नैकग्रामनिवासिनम् ॥

Transliteration

sampūjayed yathāśakti gandhapuṣpādibhis tathā / na mitram atithiṃ kuryān naikagrāmanivāsinam

Translation

Nên tôn kính vị khách tùy theo khả năng của mình, bằng hương liệu, hoa và những thứ tương tự. Không nên coi bạn bè là ‘atithi’, cũng không coi người cư trú trong cùng một làng là ‘atithi’.

Word by Word

• sampūjayet: should honor/worship
• sampūjayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√pūj (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā-śakti: according to one’s capacity
• yathā-śakti: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/ manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound functioning as adverb (क्रियाविशेषण): 'according to ability'

• gandha-puṣpa-ādibhiḥ: with perfumes, flowers, etc.
• gandha-puṣpa-ādibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ādi-tatpuruṣa: 'with perfumes, flowers, etc.'

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (क्रियाविशेषण/निपात)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• mitram: a friend
• mitram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• atithim: a guest
• atithim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kuryāt: should make/consider
• kuryāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• eka-grāma-nivāsinam: one who lives in the same village
• eka-grāma-nivāsinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + grāma (प्रातिपदिक) + nivāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'resident of one village' (ekagrāma = one village; nivāsin = dweller)

Speakers

• Not in Devi Māhātmyam; dharma-teaching context.

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "dharma", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Hospitality norms
• Social definitions in dharma literature

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Atithi-dharma targets the vulnerable stranger, not one’s familiar circle. The instruction prevents hospitality from becoming a selective social performance.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/Dharma guidance; it standardizes ethical obligation in daily life.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘unknown other’ tests non-attachment and generosity; honoring the stranger is a ritualized breaking of self-centered boundaries.