Atithi or Guest Reception (study)
by Sarika. P. | 2022 | 41,363 words
This page relates 鈥楢tithi-saparya in Aranyakas鈥� of the study on Atithi-Saparya鈥擳he ancient Indian practice of hospitality or 鈥済uest reception鈥� which, in the Indian context, is an exalted practice tracable to the Vedic period. The spirit of Vedic guest-reception (atithi-saparya) is reflected in modern tourism in India, although it has deviated from the original concept. Technically, the Sanskrit term Atithi can be defined as one who arrives from a far place with hunger and thirst during the time of the Vaishvadeva rite鈥攁 ceremony that includes offering cooked food to all Gods.
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Part 3 - Atithi-sapary膩 in 膧谤补峁噛补办补蝉
The 膧谤补峁噛补办补蝉 advocate symbolic meditation of 测补箩帽补 rites. The first section of Aitareya 膧谤补峁噛补办补, while describing about 尘补丑腻惫谤补迟补蝉,[1] mention about atithi. When offering ghee during 尘补丑腻惫谤补迟补, the one who seeks prosperity should recite the 蝉奴办迟补 鈥測ou are all atithi鈥�.[2] Some scholars do not subscribe to this. They say, the 蝉奴办迟补 contains the word atithi in it and an atithi is supposed to go for begging (产丑颈办峁Ｄ佱弓补苍补). But 惭补丑墨诲腻蝉补 points out: 鈥�atithi is usually a good and a noble person and nobody will accept a person without these qualities as an atithi鈥�.
The Aitareya 膧谤补峁噛补办补 remarks that a good and eminent person should be treated as a real atithi and should be treated accordingly. A householder is not supposed to treat those who do not properly deserve the hospitality.[3] Here in 膧谤补峁噛补办补 period, it is evident that, there were several conditions to be qualified as an atithi. Not everyone was offered the same hospitality. More than rituals, there were several strict rules enunciated in 膧谤补峁噛补办补蝉.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
There is a popular belief that 惭补丑腻惫谤补迟补 is related to 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. 罢腻峁囜笉测补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 says that 惭补丑腻惫谤补迟补 is a 测补箩帽补 performed in the middile of 蝉补峁僾补迟蝉补谤补 (middle of year). The main deity of this vrata is Indra as it is mainly performed in the beginning of the rainy season. 艢膩峁卥h膩yana 膧谤补峁噛补办补 says that 惭补丑腻惫谤补迟补 is performed two days before the 骋补惫腻尘补测补苍补 satra.
[2]:
(1) atha 尘补丑腻惫谤补迟补m iti || 1 ||
(2) indro vai v峁泃ra峁� hatv膩 mah膩nabhavadyanmah膩nabhavattan尘补丑腻惫谤补迟补mabhavattan尘补丑腻惫谤补迟补蝉ya 尘补丑腻惫谤补迟补tvam iti || 2 ||
(3)dve etasy膩hu 膩jye kury膩diti haika 膩h奴rekamiti tveva sthitam iti || 3 ||
(4) pra vo dev膩y膩gnaya iti r膩岣峷ik膩ma岣� iti || 4 ||
(5) vi艣o vi艣o vo atithimiti pu峁ａ弓ik膩ma岣� iti || 5 ||
(6)pu峁ａ弓irvai vi艣a岣� pu峁ａ弓im膩n bhavat墨ti || 6 ||
(7) atithimiti pada峁� bhavati naitat kury膩dityahur墨艣varo'tithireva carito岣� iti || 7 ||
(8) tadu ha sm膩ha kury膩deva iti || 8 ||
(9) yo vai bhavati ya岣� 艣re峁ａ弓hat膩ma艣nute sa v膩 atithirbhavati iti || 9 ||
(10) na v膩 asantam膩tithy膩y膩driyante iti || 10 ||
(11) tasm膩du k膩mamevaitat kury膩t iti || 11 ||
(12) sa yadyetat kury膩d膩ganma v峁泃rahantamamityeta峁� n峁沜a峁� prathama峁� kury膩t iti || 12 ||
(13) etadv膩 ahar墨psanta岣� 蝉补峁僾补迟蝉补谤补m膩sate ta 膩gacchanti iti || 13 ||
(14) ta ete'nu峁ａ弓up艣墨r峁Ｄ佱箛astrayasnuc膩 bhavanti brahma vai g膩yatr墨 v膩ganu峁ａ弓up brahma峁嘺iva tadv膩ca峁� sa峁僤agh膩ti iti || 14 ||
(15) abodhyagni岣� samidh膩 jan膩n膩miti k墨rtik膩ma岣� iti || 15 ||
(16)hot膩jani峁ａ弓a cetana iti praj膩pa艣uk膩ma岣� iti || 16 ||| | 1 || , Aitareya 膧谤补峁噛补办补,1.1.1