Atithi or Guest Reception (study)
by Sarika. P. | 2022 | 41,363 words
This page relates 鈥楾reatment of Atithi (guest-reception) in Puranas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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 3 - Treatment of Atithi (guest-reception) in 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉
笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 present complex ideas in an interesting way for the benefit of common man鈥檚 understanding. 骋峁沨补蝉迟丑补诲丑补谤尘补蝉 and 辫补帽肠补尘补丑腻测补箩帽补蝉 are described in 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 with great significance.
Many stories in 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 speak of the custom of atithi-蝉补辫补谤测腻 in Indian tradition. One example is Bali鈥檚 reception of 痴腻尘补苍补 in 痴腻尘补苍补pur膩峁嘺. The Brahmins, the members in the sacrificial hall immediately stood up in honour of 痴腻尘补苍补 when he arrived.[1] Bali duly welcomes 痴腻尘补苍补 by offering arghya.[2] Then Bali offers heaps of gold and gems, elephants, buffaloes, women, clothes, ornaments, cows, lots of gold and silver, the entire Kingdom, or whatever 痴腻尘补苍补 wished for[3].
The eleventh chapter of 叠丑补惫颈峁补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 titled 骋峁沨补诲丑补谤尘补惫补谤峁嘺苍补 deals with the duties of a householder. 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 explains the duties of a householder in the same way. If an atithi arrived, the householder should welcome him and offer him seat. He should also wash his feet, and speak to him in a pleasing manner and provide food for him. When an atithi departs, householder should accompany him for a short while[4]. This practice can be seen instucted in 顿丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补蝉 and 厂尘峁泃颈蝉.
In the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, there is an interesting description of a householder taking food after his usual worships and prayers. The householder, having bathed and offered libations to the Gods and manes and decorated his hand with jewels, should proceed to take his meal. Atmost care should be taken in respecting an atithi who comes in the evening seeking shelter, as it pleases all Gods.[5] The householder, then, according to his ability, receive, his guest with food, water, a bed, a mat and a comfortable stay.[6]
惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, says about the duties of a householder. Householder should not neglect the performance of the five sacrifices.[7] And let the man himself consume, being zealous to the best of his power, the food consumed by the 辫颈迟峁泂, the gods, the atithis and manes.[8] 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 also says that a man should honour an atithi respectfully with gifts of rice and other food and water and with fragrant flowers and other gifts according to his ability.[9] Here the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 describes how a householder should receive an atithi. Householder should look towards the door at the every eighth part of a 尘耻丑奴谤迟补,[10] whether an atithi is to be seen.[11] 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 mentions that a Brahmin who has arrived, hungry, weary, supplicating, indigent, a guest; he should be honoured by the wise according to one鈥檚 ability.[12]
狈腻谤补诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 says that, a guest who comes during the time of 诲别惫腻谤肠补苍补 should be welcomed by the householder in a respectful manner. In order to show honour to his atithi householder should use sweet and humble words. Householder should also make arrangements for food, water, tubers, fruits and also should ensure all facilities for taking rest. Atithis should be provided with bed, seat etc. in the night. A fine example for a responsible householder can be seen in 艢谤墨尘补诲产丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, when 狈腻谤补诲补 visits 艢谤墨碍峁涐梗峁嘺蝉 house; then the latter performs the noble and righteous duties of a householder.
In 叠丑补惫颈峁补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, there is a detailed description about 辫补帽肠补尘补丑腻测补箩帽补蝉. Food offering to devas and 辫颈迟峁泂 are described in 叠丑补惫颈峁补辫耻谤腻峁嘺. The text says that even if the number of guests happen to be very big; the host should see that all the aspects of the rite-place, time, and worthiness of an atithi, careful performance, materials, and vessels, ingredients of worship etc. are available in plenty.[13]
In 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, king 驰补测腻迟颈 gives his kingdom to his son Puru and goes to forest for 痴腻苍补辫谤补蝉迟丑补 腻艣谤补尘补.V膩naprasthi峁僺 also offered suitable reception to atithis in ancient period. In the forest the V膩naprasthi峁僺, took all care to treat his guests (atithis) with due respect[14]. The arrival of Vidura at Hastinapura in the 艢谤墨尘补诲产丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺[15], Kubera鈥檚 meeting of Dhruva[16], 厂补苍补迟办耻尘腻谤补鈥檚 arrival at the palace of 笔峁泃丑耻[17], 狈腻谤补诲补 coming to the Brahmasatra of Pracetas[18], Citraketus reception of 础峁単颈谤补蝉[19], Bali鈥檚 reception of 痴腻尘补苍补[20], the reception offered by Rantideva to 叠丑补谤补诲惫腻箩补[21], 碍峁涐梗峁嘺蝉 reception of 础办谤奴谤补[22] etc. are examples. The Brahmins duly received 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and others[23]. Several stories like, Sud膩ma峁僺 reception offered to 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, 搁腻尘补 and gopas[24], the reception offered by 厂补颈谤补苍诲丑谤墨 (罢谤颈惫补办谤腻, the waiting maid of 碍补峁僺补) to 碍峁涐梗峁嘺[25] and Uddhava[26], 础办谤奴谤补鈥檚 reception of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, 搁腻尘补 and Uddhava[27], 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 treating Rukmi峁噄鈥檚 messenger brahmin[28], 叠丑墨峁补办补鈥檚 reception of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and 搁腻尘补[29], Nagnajits reception of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺[30], 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 reception of 狈腻谤补诲补[31], Yudhi峁ａ弓ira鈥檚 reception of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 at Indraprastha[32], 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 reception of 厂耻诲腻尘补苍[33], 叠补濒补谤腻尘补 inviting Arjuna[34], 艢谤耻迟补诲别惫补 and 叠补丑耻濒腻艣惫补 (King of Mithila) treating 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and others (狈腻谤补诲补, 痴腻尘补诲别惫补, Atri, 痴别诲补惫测腻蝉补, 笔补谤补艣耻谤腻尘补, 膧谤耻峁噄, 艢耻办补, 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈, 碍补峁噕补, Maitreya, Cyavana etc.)[35], the King of Mithila treating 碍峁涐梗峁嘺[36], 艢谤耻迟补诲别惫补鈥檚 reception of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺[37] etc. These are some important references of atithi-蝉补辫补谤测腻 in 艢谤墨尘补诲产丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺.
Many stories in Epics and 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 reveal the importance of hospitality. Hospitality of 痴补蝉颈峁ａ弓丑补, hospitality of 厂墨迟腻, the story of mongoose in 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补鈥檚 sacrifice, Bali鈥檚 reception of 痴腻尘补苍补 are notable stories. In later poems and plays on Sanskrit literature much emphasis is seen to be placed on the atithi-蝉补辫补谤测腻.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
sa c膩rtham膩d膩ya 产补濒颈岣� predbh奴tapulakastad膩 |
p奴jay膩m膩sa govinda峁� pr膩ha ceda峁� mah膩sura岣� || ibid., 31.40
[3]:
[4]:
补迟颈迟丑颈峁� tatra 蝉补峁僷谤腻辫迟补峁� p奴jayet sv膩gat膩din膩 |
tath膩sanaprad膩nena p膩daprak峁Ｄ乴anena ca || 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 3.11.59
艣raddhay膩 c膩nnad膩nena priyapra艣nottare峁嘺 ca |
gacchata艣c膩nuy膩nena pr墨timutp膩dayed g峁沨墨 || ibid., 3.11.60
[5]:
tasm膩tsva艣akty膩 r膩jendra s奴ryyo岣峢am补迟颈迟丑颈峁� 苍补谤补岣� |
p奴jayetp奴jite tasmin p奴jit膩ssarvadevat膩: || ibid., 3.11.109
[6]:
anna艣膩k膩峁僢ud膩nena sva艣akty膩 p奴jayetpum膩n |
艣ayanaprastaramah墨prad膩nairathav膩pi tam || ibid., 3.11.110
[7]:
e峁 dharmo g峁沨asthasya 峁泃膩vabhigamastath膩 |
pa帽cayaj帽avidh膩na峁� tu yath膩艣akti na h膩payet || 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 25.21
[8]:
[9]:
tatr膩ra峁噛opabhoga艣ca tapobhi艣c膩tmakar峁峁嚹乼 |
bh奴mau 艣ayy膩 brahmacarya峁� pit峁沝ev膩tithikriy膩岣� || ibid., 25.25
[10]:
1 尘耻丑奴谤迟补 = 2 苍腻岣峣办腻
1 尘耻丑奴谤迟补 = 48 minute
15 尘耻丑奴谤迟补 = 1 day
8 尘耻丑奴谤迟补 = 8*2=16 苍腻岣峣办腻
6 hours 24 minutes starting from sunrise is known as eighth 尘耻丑奴谤迟补 of a day.
[11]:
腻肠补尘测补 ca 迟补迟补岣� kury膩tpr膩j帽o dv膩r膩valokanam |
尘耻丑奴谤迟补sy膩峁ａ弓ama峁� bh膩gamud墨k峁o hyatithirbhavet || ibid., 26.26
补迟颈迟丑颈峁� tatra sampr膩ptamann膩dyenodakena ca |
samp奴jayedyath膩艣akti峁� gandhapu峁膩dibhistath膩 || ibid., 26.27
(And then he, as a wise man, having rinsed out his mouth, should look towards the door at evening eighth part of a 尘耻丑奴谤迟补, whether a guest is to be seen. He should honour the guest, who has arrived there, with rice and other food and with water and with fragrant flowers and other presents, according to his power, The M膩rka峁囜笉eypur膩峁嘺, F. Eden Pargiter, p.136)
[12]:
产耻产丑耻办峁尘腻驳补迟补峁� 艣谤腻苍迟补峁� y膩cam膩namaki帽canam |
产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺峁� pr膩hur补迟颈迟丑颈峁� sa 辫奴箩测补: 艣aktito budhai: || ibid., 26.29
[13]:
de艣ak膩locita艣raddh膩dravyap膩tr膩rha峁嚹乶i ca |
samyag bhavanti nait膩ni vistar膩t svajan膩rpa峁嚹乼 || 叠丑补惫颈峁补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 7.15.4
[14]:
atith墨n p奴jayannitya峁� vanyena havi峁Ｄ� 惫颈产丑耻岣� |
艣ilo帽chav峁泃tim膩sthaya 艣e峁Ｄ乶nak峁泃abhojana岣� | 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 35.14
[15]:
See Appendix I, for a detailed list of the references of atithi-蝉补辫补谤测腻 in 艢谤墨尘补诲产丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 1.13.5-7(AP1.1), p.247
[16]:
ibid.,4.12.1(AP1.2), p.248
[17]:
ibid.,4.22.4-12(AP1.3), p.248
[18]:
ibid.,4.31.4-5(AP1.4), p.248
[19]:
ibid.,6.14.15(AP1.5), p.248
[20]:
ibid.,8.18.25-32(AP1.6), p.249
[21]:
ibid.,9.21.5-6 (AP1.7), p.249-250
[22]:
ibid.,10.38.38-42(AP1.8), p.250
[23]:
ibid.,10.41.30 (AP1.9), p.250
[24]:
ibid.,10.41.43-49(AP1.10), p.250-251
[25]:
ibid.,10.48.3(AP1.11), p.251
[26]:
ibid.,10.48.4-5(AP1.12), p.251
[27]:
ibid.,10.48.14-16(AP1.13), p.251
[28]:
ibid.,10.52.28(AP1.14), p.252
[29]:
ibid.,10.53.32-35(AP1.15), p.252
[30]:
ibid.,10.58.35(AP1.16), p.252
[31]:
ibid.,10.69.7-16(AP1.17), p.252-253
[32]:
ibid., 10.71.37-44(AP1.18), p.253
[33]:
ibid.,10.80.20-22(AP1.19), p.253-254
[34]:
ibid,,10.86.5(AP1.20), p.254
[35]:
ibid.,10.86.25(AP1.21), p.254
[36]:
ibid.,10.86.27-36(AP1.22), p.254
[37]:
ibid.,10.86.38-43(AP1.23), p.255