Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.22.10
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyDevoted Hospitality Does Not Require Wealth
“A person who is not very rich and is attached to family life becomes highly glorified when saintly persons are present in his home. The master and servants who are engaged in offering the exalted visitors water, a sitting place and paraphernalia for reception are glorified, and the home itself is also glorified.”
What the purport teaches
- A saintly visitor glorifies even a poor or materially attached householder’s home. Those who serve the visitor also receive blessings.
- Receiving saintly persons gives householders an opportunity to hear transcendental knowledge. A sannyāsī travels to help them understand the values of spiritual life.
- Hospitality does not depend on wealth. One can offer drinking water, a simple sitting place, or even a heartfelt welcome with folded hands.
Try this today
Offer a guest a glass of water and a welcoming place to sit; if no guest comes, prepare to do so.
Ask yourself
Do I let limited resources keep me from offering a sincere welcome?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.