Verse 3.102

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

एकरात्रं तु निवसन्नतिथिर्ब्राह्मणः स्मृतः ।
अनित्यं हि स्थितो यस्मात् तस्मादतिथिरुच्यते ॥ १०२ ॥

ekarātraṃ tu nivasannatithirbrāhmaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ |
anityaṃ hi sthito yasmāt tasmādatithirucyate || 102 ||

A Brāhmaṇa staying for a single night has been declared to be a “guest” (Atithi). Because his stay is not long, therefore he is called “Atithi” (guest).—(102)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Inasmuch as the meaning of the term ‘Atithi’ (guest) is not well-known among men, the author provides a definition of the same.

One becomes a ‘guest’ by staying in another man’s house for one night; and this character belongs only to a Brāhmaṇa, to none else.

Whether the next day also the guest should be honoured or not, depends upon the wish of the Householder; it is not. obligatory. It being done by persons desiring prosperity, the incentive to it is something totally different (from that of the obligatory honouring during the first night). Says Apastamba (2.7.16)—‘One should lodge him for one night;’ whereby he wins the regions of the earth; by keeping him on the second night, the regions of the sky; and on the third night, the regions of Heaven”—which shows that the incentive to the entertaining of the guest on the second and following nights consists in the desire for particular rewards.

For the purpose of lending strength to the above explanation, the author provides the etymological meaning—‘His stay is not long; which means that the word ‘atithi’ is derived from the root ‘sthā’ (to stay), preceded by ‘ati;’ the term being formed somehow by the addition of an Uṇādi affix.—(102)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

The first half of this verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 351) in support of the view that a guest is to be treated as such only on the day on which he arrives, not if he stays till the next day.

The verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 438) as explaining what is meant by the term ‘atithi’ (guest);—in Aparārka (p. 155);—in Hemādri (Dāna, p. 676 and Śrāddha, p. 427).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 3.102-103)

Vaśiṣṭha (8.7,8).—[Reproduces Manu.]

Viṣṇu (67.34, 35).—[Do.]

Gautama (5.41).—‘The guest, Atithi, is one who is not an inhabitant of the same village, who arrives at the time when the sun is just sinking below the tree-tops, and who stays for one night only.’

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 438).—‘That high-souled man who has renounced all observances relating to particular dates of the month, to special days of worship and to special festivals, is the Atithi, guest, for all beings; others are only Abhyāgatas, arrivals.’

Markaṇḍeya (Do.).—‘Neither a friend, nor an inhabitant of the same village, should he treated as a guest; that Brāhmaṇa is called a guest, whose name and family are not known to the householder, who arrives by chance at the time, hungry, fatigued, without any belongings, seeking for food.’

Mahābhārata (Āśvamedhika, Do.).—‘To one who is suffering from hunger and thirst, who has arrived at the right time and the right place, he shall offer food after having welcomed him with due respect. Him should he regard as a guest who has come from a distance, at the time of the Vaiśvadeva offering.’

Parāśara (Ācāra, 9.41, 42).—‘One who has come from a distance, is fatigued and has arrived at the time of the Vaiśvadeva offering,—shall be regarded as a guest, not one who has come previously. One should never receive a co-villager as a guest; because a guest, Atithi, is so called because he does not come always.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra (2.6.5).—‘To one who is a householder, firm in his duties, if some one comes without any purpose, he is a guest whose reception is a sacred duty.’

Vyāsa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 351).—‘That man is honoured as a guest who has come to one’s house from a distance, suffering from hunger, thirst and fatigue.’

Pracetas (Do.).—‘One who arrives in the evening, or at the end of the Vaiśvadeva offering, is to be honoured like a god; brought up by the sun, he is called the guest.’

Viṣṇu-purāṇa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 352).—‘One shall honour as guest that person who comes to one’s house, whose family or name is not known,—who is not an inhabitant of the same village; he should be one who is not related to the householder; he should be one who has nothing with him, and has come from another country.’