Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
निष्क्रान्ते मयि कल्याणि तथा संनिहिते5नघे । नातिथिस्ते5वमन्तव्य: प्रमाणं यद्यहं तव
niṣkrānte mayi kalyāṇi tathā saṃnihite ’naghe | nātithis te ’vamantavyaḥ pramāṇaṃ yady ahaṃ tava ||
毗湿摩说:“吉祥而无垢的女子啊——无论我已离去,或仍在近旁,你都不可轻慢宾客(atithi)。若你以我为行止之准,则当以此为律:在任何境况下,宾客都不可受辱。”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse teaches atithi-dharma: a guest must never be dishonored. Hospitality and respectful reception are binding ethical duties, independent of personal convenience or whether an elder/authority figure is present to supervise.
Bhīṣma addresses a woman respectfully (“kalyāṇi,” “anaghe”) and lays down a rule of conduct: whether he is away or nearby, she should not slight a guest. He frames himself as a pramāṇa (moral exemplar) and instructs her to follow this standard.