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Atithi or Guest Reception (study)

by Sarika. P. | 2022 | 41,363 words

This page relates ‘References to Hospitality in Abhijnanashakuntala� of the study on Atithi-Saparya—The ancient Indian practice of hospitality or “guest reception� 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—a ceremony that includes offering cooked food to all Gods.

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Part 7 - References to Hospitality in ñԲśܲԳٲ

In ñԲśܲԳٲ, When King ٳṣyԳٲ arrives at the hermitage of ṇv, ղԲ asked ٳṣyԳٲ to go ṇv’s hermitage and receive hospitality.[1] When ṇv goes to dzīٳ he appoints ŚܲԳٲ for receiving atithis in his absence.[2] When ٳṣyԳٲ comes to ṇvs hermitage, Բūⲹ asks ŚܲԳٲ to bring fruits and arghya for atithi-貹.[3] Hearing this, King ٳṣyԳٲ says that their sweet words pleased him very much.[4]

The importance of atithi-貹 can be found in the fourth act of ñԲśܲԳٲ. Here sage ٳܰ came to ṇvś. ŚܲԳٲ who was in the hermitage, thinking of ٳṣyԳٲ, thus she did not receive her atithi, Sage ٳܰs properly. Sage ٳܰs became angry and cursed ŚܲԳٲ by saying: �ā� atithiparibhāvini[5] as she had forgotten to receive her atithi in a respectful manner. In Ѳٲ, the curse of ٳܰs is not seen. N.K.Sundareswaran points out that this episode has resemblance to the story of 󲹲ī첹 in ٳٲ岵.[6] 󲹲ī첹 went to abode of Indra to help him in a war. 󲹲ī첹 was a bachelor. Knowing his willingness for marriage, Indra proposes Mṛgāvati to marry 󲹲ī첹. On hearing this 󲹲ī첹 with his charioteer ٲ went down in haste. On their way back Tilottama tries to stop them for a moment to say something. 󲹲ī첹 did not hear it, he was fully engulfed in thought of his meeting Mṛgāvati, hence he did not stop there. Tilottama then cursed him by saying that he and the one whom he has thinking of would have to face a separation for 14 years.

When ٲ goes to ٳṣyԳٲ’s palace, ٳṣyԳٲ receives ٲ in a respectful manner.[7] In the seventh act of ñԲśܲԳٲ, ٳṣyԳٲ says about the hospitality of Devendra. Devendra gives seat and Ի garland for him.[8]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Բ� -! samidāharaṇāya prasthitā vayam | eṣa� khalu kaṇvasya kulapateranumālinītīramāśramo dṛśyate | na cedanyakāryātipāta� śⲹ پṛhⲹ峾پٳⲹ� ٰ� | ñԲśܲԳٲ, act-1

[2]:

Բ� -idānīmeva duhitara� śakuntalāmatithisatkārāya niyujya daivamasyā� pratikūla� śamayitu� dzīٳ� ٲ� | ibid., act-1

[3]:

Բū -idānīmatithiviśeṣalābhena | 󲹱 śakuntale gacchoṭajama | phalamiśramarghamupahara | ida� ǻ岹첹� bhaviṣyati |

[4]:

-bhavatīnā� sūnṛtayaiva kṛtamātithyam |

[5]:

ā� atithiparibhāvinī! vicintayantī yamananyamānasā ٲǻ󲹲Բ� vetsi na māmupasthitam smariṣyati tvā� na sa bodhito'pi san 첹ٳ� ٳٲ� ٳ󲹳� ṛt峾 ibid., act-4.1

[6]:

Aṭayāḷaṅṅa� uṛaviṭaṅṅa�, Kālidāsante sāhityaloka� putiya kāḻccaka�, N.K.Sundareswaran, p.186

[7]:

(sasaṃbhramamastramupasaṃharan) aye ٲ� |
svāgata� mahendrasārathe� | ñԲśܲԳٲ
, act-6

[8]:

-mātale, anuṣṭhitanideśo'pi maghavata� satkriyāviśeṣādanupayuktamivātmāna� samarthaye |
…ĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦĦ�..
-mātale, mā maivam |
sa khalu manorathānāmapyabhūmirvisarjanāvasaraٰ� |
mama hi divaukasā� samakṣamardhāsanopaveśitasya

antargataprārthanamantikastha� jayantamudvīkṣya kṛtasmitena |
āmṛṣṭavakṣoharicandanāṅkā Իmālā hariṇ� pinaddhā ||
ibid., act-7.2

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