Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.16.6
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyWelcome Guests Beyond Your Family Circle
“I wonder whether because of being too attached to the members of your family, you failed to properly receive uninvited guests, who therefore were not welcomed and went away.”
What the purport teaches
- A householder should properly receive guests, even if a guest is an enemy.
- One should stand up, offer a seat and receive a guest according to one’s means. At least a seat and a glass of water should be offered.
- An atithi is someone who comes without an invitation. Kaśyapa Muni asked whether attachment to family had led Aditi to neglect such guests.
Try this today
Prepare a clean seat and drinking water so you can readily welcome a visitor.
Ask yourself
Does my attention to my family sometimes leave others feeling unwelcome?
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.