Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study)
by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah | 2014 | 67,792 words
This page relates 鈥楾he importance of Hospitality鈥� of the English study on the Harshacharita: A Sanskrit (poetical work) which can be studied as a Historical book of Indian society during the 7th century. It was originally written by Banabhatta who based his Harsacarita on the life of the Gupta emperor Harshavardhana. This study researches the religion, philosophy, flora and fauna and society of ancient India as reflected in the Harsha-Charita.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
6. The importance of Hospitality
About the importance of Hospitality A. Ch. Barthakuria rightly says鈥�
鈥淗ospitality is a great religion of Indian people. Every house-holder and even ascetic must love and show proper honour for incoming guests particularly in the evening at least out of humanitarian consideration. They must feel sympathy for the fatigue of their journey, their hunger, and thrust and their need of shelter for the night. One who realize these, is a good man universally recognized by all.鈥�[1]
The people of the 7th century A.D. performed the 苍峁泍补箩帽补 (i.e., respected the guests and offered hospitality to them). The writer 叠腻峁嘺 mentions the argha[2] (i.e., materials of worship, such as water, sandal, flower etc.) which were very important for worship. Therefore, without knowing about king 顿补诲丑墨肠补, 顿别惫墨 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 offered appropriate hospitality with argha, she offered hospitality as was usual in forest life, beginning with the offering of a seat of tender foliage and ending with the offering of fruit and flowers.[3] It is known that the king Pu峁abh奴ti was honoured with argha i.e., the best type of honour by the sage 叠丑补颈谤补惫腻肠腻谤测补.[4] The great epic 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 inculcates that the worship of guests is a supreme duty of a house-holder.[5] If the house-holder fails to perform that duty, then he does the great sin.[6]
The writer speaks about the best type of hospitality known as svena 膩sanena[7] (i.e., which is the highest mark of respect that can be shown to the guest). The 蝉补苍苍测腻蝉墨 Bhairavac膩rya gives up his seat to the king Pu峁abh奴ti, through which he shows the great respect and friendship.[8]
In case of marriage, too, when the groom came to the bride鈥檚 home, the father, brother and other family members of the bride show great respect to the groom giving the different types of things.[9] Description is found that various small huts[10] were made by the kings and villagers for the strangers to take rest. The people showed adequate hospitality to their incoming guest in 叠腻峁嘺鈥檚 time.
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
贬补谤峁肠补谤颈迟补, I.p.5
[3]:
..sarasvaty膩 ki艣alay膩sanad膩nadin膩 sakusumaphalarghavas膩nena vanav膩sociten膩tithyena yath膩kramamupajagr膩ha, Ibid.,I.p.11
[4]:
膩s墨ne ca 鈥︹��.samucitargh膩dika峁� cakre, Ibid.,III.p.48
[5]:
惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, Anu艣膩sanaparvan.2.70
[6]:
Ibid.,191.12
[7]:
贬补谤峁肠补谤颈迟补,VIII.p.128
[8]:
鈥tropavi艣a 鈥� iti 艣膩rd奴lacarm膩tm墨yamadar艣ayat, Ibid.
[9]:
谤腻箩腻 tu tamupadv膩ram膩gata峁� 鈥�.pratujjag膩m 鈥峁泃anamask膩ra峁� 鈥�..g膩岣峚m膩lili峁単a鈥︹�ath膩krama峁� pari峁aktar膩jyavadhanahar峁峁� ca haste g峁沨墨tv膩bhyantaram ninye鈥vanirvi艣e峁Ｄ乻anad膩n膩din膩 cainamupac膩renopacac膩ra, Ibid.,IV.p.71
[10]:
补峁璦惫墨蝉耻濒补产丑补鈥补惫补办丑腻峁璦办奴辫颈办辞辫补办补峁囜弓丑补辫谤补迟颈峁ａ弓丑颈迟补鈥�.办耻峁玶补办腻峁嚹乵, Ibid.,VII.123