Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates 鈥楽erving a guest (atithi)鈥� 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
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 辫补帽肠补尘补丑腻测补箩帽补蝉 which a householder must perform daily.[1] The person, who comes to someone's house desiring food and shatter [shelter?], is called atithi.
The 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 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 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 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 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that the honouring of visitors (atithi) is one of the main customs in any society.
According to 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, a householder should not take his meal without feeding the guest. After 驳峁沨补产补濒颈 and 产丑奴迟补产补濒颈, he should wait for one eighth of a 尘耻丑奴谤迟补 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鈥檚 house should not be treated as atithi but some distinct persons are to be considered as atithi.
As stated in the 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈[7] and the 驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补蝉尘峁泃颈[8], the 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 also determines some limitations regarding as atithi. According to this pur膩峁嘺, 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 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, 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 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 and the 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺[13]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 25.21; 26.26
[2]:
Ibid., 26.31
[3]:
dev膩n膩miva sa峁僺argo bhavato鈥檅hyudayo 尘补丑腻苍 /
ken膩smad bh膩gyaguru峁嚹伳乶墨to d峁涐梗峁璱gocaram // Ibid., 4.21
[4]:
Ibid., 26.26
[5]:
Ibid., 26.27,34,42
[6]:
Ibid., 66.49
[7]:
惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈, 3.102-103
[8]:
驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补蝉尘峁泃颈, 1.107-111
[9]:
惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 26.28-29
[10]:
Ibid., 26.30
[11]:
Ibid., 26.32
[12]:
atithiryasya bhagn膩艣o g峁沨膩tpratinivartate /
sa datv膩 诲耻峁峁泃补峁� tasmai pu峁噛am膩d膩ya gacchati // Ibid., 26.33
[13]:
痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 3.9-15; 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 114.36