The Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates ‘Serving a guest (atithi)’ of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.
Serving a guest (atithi)
Serving a guest or unknown person is one of the most important duties of a householder. It is one of the five religious duties called pañcamahāyajñas which a householder must perform daily.[1] The person, who comes to someone's house desiring food and shatter [shelter?], is called atithi.
The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa explains the significance of the term atithi, meaning guest thus:
The guest is called atithi because the person does not stay for the whole day. To receive a guest and to unite with a great person create limitless happiness. This idea has been reflected in the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa through the praising words of the birds who satisfied Jaimini, answering his questions. The birds considered their union with Jaimini as their good fortune which might cause great prosperity and good fortune for them.[3] It is also mentioned in this Purāṇa that the honouring of visitors (atithi) is one of the main customs in any society.
According to Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, a householder should not take his meal without feeding the guest. After gṛhabali and bhūtabali, he should wait for one eighth of a muhūrta for receiving the visitors.[4] The house-holder had to honour a visitor, arrived in his house, with flowers, food, vegetables and water. Thus honouring the guest he could take his meal. Again he should have to offer both food and shelter to an atithi arriving after sunset.[5] He also should greet the atithi with sweet words offering a seat and arghya.[6] All the persons who arrive at someone’s house should not be treated as atithi but some distinct persons are to be considered as atithi.
As stated in the Manusmṛti[7] and the Yājñavalkyasmṛti[8], the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa also determines some limitations regarding as atithi. According to this purāṇa, a friend, one living in the same village, one of an unknown family should not be treated as an atithi. On the other hand, one should treat him as atithi who is a Brahmin, arrived being hungry, requesting and poor.[9] A learned person, without asking the visitor about his age, conduct, study etc. should esteem him as Prajāpati, while he may be handsome or ugly.[10] Taking food by the householder before eating the guest is regarded as a sin which will cause him to feed on order in another life.[11] Again if the guest has to return broken hearted, then the house holder has to bear its bad result[12] i.e. the atithi goes taking the merit of the householder and transferring his own sins to him. The same idea is expressed in the Viṣṇupurāṇa and the Bhāgavatapurāṇa[13]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 25.21; 26.26
[2]:
Ibid., 26.31
[3]:
devānāmiva saṃsargo bhavato’bhyudayo mahān /
kenāsmad bhāgyaguruṇāānīto dṛṣṭigocaram // Ibid., 4.21
[4]:
Ibid., 26.26
[5]:
Ibid., 26.27,34,42
[6]:
Ibid., 66.49
[7]:
Manusmṛti, 3.102-103
[8]:
Yājñavalkyasmṛti, 1.107-111
[9]:
Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 26.28-29
[10]:
Ibid., 26.30
[11]:
Ibid., 26.32
[12]:
atithiryasya bhagnāśo gṛhātpratinivartate /
sa datvā duṣkṛtaṃ tasmai puṇyamādāya gacchati // Ibid., 26.33
[13]:
Viṣṇupurāṇa, 3.9-15; Bhāgavatapurāṇa, 114.36