24. Honouring Guests

Nryajna or Manusya-yajna i.e.honouring guests was considered to be one of the important duties of a householder. The Brahma Purana also assigns a very high position to the Atithi. Thus it states that when a guest is satisfied with speech, the goddess Vagisvari is pleased, when he is satisfied with food, lord Sakra is pleased, by washing his feet the pitrs are pleased, by giving him food Prajapati is pleased by serving him lord Visnu and Lakini are pleased, and by providing him sleeping accommodation all the gods are pleased, therefore. 77 78 cf. Ram. I. 25.21€, 76.4º, II.39.19d, 40.4d, IV. 20.19c VI 91.12ª, Ram. (Cr.ed.) 1.21.3, Mbh. xiii. 14.1333. Smelling the head is the traditional embrace often referred to in the Sanskrit literature. A similar custom was common with the 4 jews in ancient times, "evidently based on Genesis XXVII.27. HDS. Vol.II.II, PP. 749-56, 78 Kane P.V., HDS. Vol.II.

469 the guest is the highest person to be revered. A guest who comes in the early morning should be considered to be a god and he should be considered to be the merit obtained from all 'the sacrifices. Agni is the highest among all the twiceat born, brahmins are the highest among all the classes, the husband is the highest person for a wife, and a guest is the highest person for all the beings (80.48,51). If he is satisfied and pleased, the gods too are pleased but if he is not satisfied the gods and pitys are also displeased (80.52). Those people/whose places the guests come and go away satisfied should be considered as passing a successful life, the life of others being useless. the merit of the dana of the world (163.14.16). The guest leads one to heaven (163.19). The Dharma, fame and prosperity of a person are destroyed who ignores a guest (163.21). The things given to a guest entail Atithi was given a seat and he was worshipped. He was given the food (163.17,18). The cows, arghya and water were offered to him (208.9). He was highly honoured and was worshipped with various things (I.13).