Markandeya Purana

नक्तञ्चरेभ्यो भूतेभ्यो बलिमाकाशतो हरेत् । पितॄणां निर्वपेच्चैव दक्षिणाभिमुखस्थितः ॥ २९.

He should place offerings in the open for night-wandering beings and spirits, and for the ancestors, he should offer while facing south.

गृहस्थस्तत्परो भूत्वा सुसमाहितमानसः । ततस्तोयमुपादाय तेष्वेवाचमनाय वै ॥ २९.

The householder, intent and with a focused mind, should then take water for their purification.

स्थानेषु निक्षिपेत्प्राज्ञस्तास्ता उद्दिश्य देवताः । एवं गृहबलिं कृत्वा गृहे हृहपतिः शुचिः ॥ २९.

The wise man should place the offerings at the designated spots, invoking the respective deities; thus, after making the household offering, the householder remains pure.

आप्यायनाय भूतानां कुर्यादुत्सर्गमादरात् । श्वभ्यश्च श्वपचेभ्यश्च वयोभ्यश्चावपेद्भुवि ॥ २९.

For the nourishment of beings, he should respectfully make the release; he should scatter food on the ground for dogs, outcasts, and birds.

वैश्वदेवं हि नामैतत्सायं प्रातरुदाहृतम् । आचम्य च ततः कुर्यात्प्राज्ञो द्वारावलोकनम् ॥ २९.

This is called the Vaiśvadeva rite, performed in the evening and morning; after purification, the wise man should inspect the door.

मुहूर्तस्याष्टमं भागमुदीक्ष्योऽप्यतिथिर्भवेत् । अतिथिं तत्र सम्प्राप्तमन्नाद्येनोदकेन च ॥ २९.

He should observe the eighth part of the hour; if a guest arrives, he should honor the guest with food and water.

सम्पूजयेद्यथाशक्ति गन्धपुष्पादिभिस्तथा । न मित्रमतिथिं कुर्यान्नैकग्रामनिवासिनम् ॥ २९.

He should worship the guest according to his ability, with fragrance, flowers, and so forth; he should not treat a friend or a resident of the same village as a guest.

अज्ञातकुलनामानं तत्कालसमुपस्थितम् । बुभुक्षुमागतं श्रान्तं याचमानमकिञ्चनम् ॥ २९.

A person whose family and name are unknown, who arrives at that time, hungry, weary, begging, and possessing nothing—

ब्राह्मणं प्राहुरतिथिं स पूज्यः शक्तितो बुधैः । न पृच्छेद्गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायञ्चापि पण्डितः ॥ २९.

—such a one is called a Brahmin guest; he should be honored by the wise to the best of their ability. A learned person should not ask his lineage, school, or study.

शोभनाशोभनाकारं तं मन्येत प्रजापतिम् । अनित्यं हि स्थितो यस्मात्तस्मादतिथिरुच्यते ॥ २९.

Whether his appearance is pleasant or unpleasant, he should be regarded as Prajapati, for he is called 'guest' because his stay is impermanent.

तस्मिंस्तृप्ते नृयज्ञोत्थादृणान्मुच्येद्गृहाश्रमी । तस्माददत्त्वा यो भुङ्क्ते स्वयं किल्विषभुङ्नरः ॥ २९.

When he is satisfied, the householder is freed from debts arising from human sacrifices; but if one eats without giving, he himself partakes of sin.

स पापं केवलं भुङ्क्ते पुरीषञ्चान्यजन्मनि । अतिथिर्यस्य भग्नाशो गृहात्प्रतिनिवर्तते ॥ २९.

He alone eats sin, and in another birth, filth, if a guest departs from his house with hope unfulfilled.

स दत्त्वा दुष्कृतं तस्मै पुण्यमादाय गच्छति । अप्यम्बुशाकदानेन यद्वाप्यश्नाति स स्वयम् ॥ २९.

By giving even water or vegetables, whatever merit is gained, that is taken by the guest, and the sin remains with the householder.

पूजयेत्तु नरः शक्त्या तेनैवातिथिमादरात् । कुर्याच्चाहरहः श्राद्धमन्नाद्येनोदकेन च ॥ २९.

Therefore, a man should honor a guest with whatever means he has, and daily perform the śrāddha with food and water.

पितॄनुद्दिश्य विप्रांश्च भोजयेद्विप्रमेव वा । अन्नस्याग्रं तदुद्धृत्य ब्राह्मणायोपपादयेत् ॥ २९.

He should feed the Brahmins, or at least one Brahmin, in honor of the ancestors, offering first the best portion of the food.

भिक्षाञ्च याचतां दद्यात्परिव्राड्ब्रह्मचारिणाम् । ग्रासप्रमाणा भिक्षा स्यादग्रं ग्रासचतुष्टयम् ॥ २९.

He should give alms to those who beg—wandering ascetics and students; the measure of alms is four mouthfuls, with the first portion given.

अग्रं चतुर्गुणं प्राहुर्हन्तकारं द्विजोत्तमाः । भोजनं हन्तकारं वा अग्रं भिक्षामथापि वा ॥ २९.

The best of twice-born say that the first portion is four times as effective as the rest; whether it is the meal or the alms, the first portion is most potent.

अदत्त्वा तु न भोक्तव्यं यथाविभवमात्मनः । पूजयित्वातिथीनिष्टान् ज्ञातीन् बन्धूंस्तथार्थिनः ॥ २९.

One should not eat without giving, according to one's means, after honoring guests, household deities, relatives, and those who seek charity.

विकलान् बालवृद्धांश्च भोजयेच्चातुरांस्तथा । वाञ्छते क्षुत्परीतात्मा यच्चान्योऽन्नमकिञ्चनः ॥ २९.

He should feed those who are disabled, children, the elderly, and the clever, as well as anyone else who, afflicted by hunger, desires food and has nothing.

कुटुम्बिना भोजनीयः समर्थे विभवे सति । श्रीमन्तं ज्ञातिमासाद्य यो ज्ञातिरवसीदति ॥ २९.

A householder who is able and prosperous should feed his relatives, especially when a wealthy relative encounters one who has fallen into distress.

सीदता यद्कृतं तेन तत्पापं स समश्नुते । सायं चैव विधिः कार्यः सूर्योढं तत्र चातिथिम् ॥ २९.

Whatever sin is committed by the one who has fallen, that is equally shared by the prosperous relative; and in the evening, after sunset, the guest should be honored according to rule.

पूजयीत यथाशक्ति शयनासनभोजनैः । एवमुद्दवहतस्तात ! गार्हस्थ्यं भारमाहितम् ॥ २९.

He should honor the guest as best he can, with a bed, seat, and food; in this way, O dear one, the burden of household life is properly borne.

स्कन्धे विधाता देवाश्च पितरश्च महर्षयः । श्रेयोऽभिवर्षिणः सर्वे तथैवातिथिबान्धवाः ॥ २९.

On his shoulders, the Creator, the gods, the ancestors, and the great sages, all bestowers of welfare, as well as guests and relatives, are supported.

पशुपक्षिगणास्तृप्ता ये चान्ये सूक्ष्मकीटकाः । गाथाश्चात्र महाभाग ! स्वयमत्रिरगायत ॥ २९.

The groups of animals, birds, and all other small creatures are satisfied; and here, O illustrious one, Atri himself composed verses.

ता शृणुष्व महाभाग ! गृहस्थाश्रमसंस्थिताः । देवान् पितॄंश्चातिथींश्च तद्वत्सम्पूज्य बान्धवान् ॥ २९.

Hear now, O illustrious one, the verses composed by Atri for householders, who, honoring the gods, ancestors, guests, and likewise relatives, ...

जामयश्च गुरुञ्चैव गृहस्थो विभवे सति । श्वभ्यश्च श्वपचेभ्यश्च वयोभ्यश्चावपेद्भुवि ॥ २९.

A householder, if he has the means, should offer food on the ground to dogs, outcastes, and birds, as well as to his wives and to his teacher.

वैश्वदेवं हि नामैतत्कुर्यात्सायं तथा दिने । मांसमन्नं तथा शाकं गृहे यच्चोपसाधितम् । न च तत्स्वयमश्नीयाद्विधिवद्यन्न निर्वपेत् ॥ २९.

He should perform what is called the Vaiśvadeva rite each evening and day, offering meat, rice, vegetables, and whatever else has been prepared in the house; but he should not eat any of it himself until he has made the proper offering according to rule.

; क्रौष्टुकिरुवाच अर्वाक्स्त्रोतस्तु कथितो भवता यस्तु मानुषः । ब्रह्मन् ! विस्तरतो ब्रूहि ब्रह्मा समसृजद्यथा॥४९.

Krauṣṭuki said: You have described the human creation that came after the stream-born beings; O Brahmin, now tell in detail how Brahmā created, and how he brought forth the various beings.

यथा च वर्णानसृजद्यद् गुणाश्च महामते । यच्च येषां स्मृतं कर्म विप्रादीनां वदस्व तत्॥४९.

And how did he create the castes, and what are their qualities, O wise one? Tell also what duties are prescribed for the Brahmins and others.