In the home of a righteous householder, when a guest arrives, he is to be received with words of welcome, offered a seat, and his feet washed as a mark of honor and respect. With sincere faith, the householder should delight his guest by offering food, engaging in warm conversation, and accompanying him when he departs. Any person who comes from another region—whose family and name are unknown, and who does not dwell in the same village—should be honored as a guest without hesitation. If, however, a householder eats while neglecting such a guest—one who is destitute, unrelated, and of unknown lineage—he incurs sin, for he chooses his own meal over the sacred duty of hospitality. The householder must not question such a guest about his learning, lineage, conduct, or family, but should regard him with the reverence due to Brahmā himself. Additionally, for the sake of the ancestors, the householder should wait for at least one local Brāhmaṇa—whose conduct and origin are known, and who performs the five daily sacrifices—before beginning his meal. The best portion of food, prepared nonviolently and suitable for offering, should be set aside and presented to a learned Brāhmaṇa. Three portions ought to be given as alms to wandering ascetics and students; and if the householder is able, he should give even more, according to his means and willingness. Thus, these are the guests to be honored, along with mendicants as described, for by showing hospitality to these four, one is freed from sin. If a guest, his hopes dashed, turns away from a house, he takes with him the host’s merit and leaves behind his sin. For the deities—Dhātā, Prajāpati, Indra, Agni, the Vasus, and Aryaman—enter the guest and partake of the food in a man's house. Therefore, a householder should always strive to honor guests, for he who eats without a guest partakes only of sin. After honoring the guest, the householder should feed married women, the distressed, pregnant women, the elderly, and children with the prepared food, and only then take his own meal. If he eats before these have eaten, he consumes sin; and should he die thus, he will go to hell and be reborn as one who eats worms. Furthermore, eating without bathing is like consuming filth; eating without reciting mantras is like eating pus and blood; eating unprepared food is like eating urine; and eating before children and others is as though one eats excrement first. One who eats without giving to others partakes of worms day and night and consumes what is improper. Therefore, O king of kings, listen to how a householder should eat so that he does not become bound by sin. When this is done, health, great strength, intelligence, freedom from calamity, and protection from hostile sorcerers arise. Having bathed properly and performed offerings to the gods, sages, and ancestors, the householder, holding auspicious gems, should eat with devotion. Wearing clean garments, adorned with fragrance and garlands, having recited mantras, made offerings into the fire, and given to guests, Brāhmaṇas, teachers, and dependents, he should partake of his meal. He must not eat while wearing multiple garments, nor with wet hands or feet; he should eat with a purified face, cheerfully, and not facing an improper direction. Facing east or north, with a focused mind, he should eat food that is wholesome, suitable, and sprinkled with purifying water. He must not eat food brought with contempt or prepared in a way that causes disgust. After giving a portion to disciples and the hungry, he may then eat. In a suitable, clean vessel, a twice-born should eat, free from anger—not in a vessel set on sand, nor in an improper place, nor at an unsuitable time, nor in a crowded spot. After offering the first portion to fire, he may proceed to eat. The food should be consecrated with mantras and wholesome, not stale, except for fruits, roots, dried branches and similar items. Likewise, except for haritaki fruits and sweet preparations made with jaggery, only the portions with essence should be eaten, never otherwise. One should not eat leftovers, except for honey, water, ghee, and flour preparations, if discerning. He should eat with full attention on the food: first enjoying the sweet taste, then the salty and sour in the middle, and ending with pungent, bitter, and similar flavors. Liquid food should be taken first, solid food in the middle, and liquid again at the end—thus, strength and health are preserved. The food should be eaten blamelessly, without criticism, and in silence for the first five mouthfuls, for this nourishes the vital energies. After eating properly and rinsing the mouth, facing east or north, he should rinse again as appropriate and wash his hands thoroughly. Calm and tranquil, having arranged his seat, he should remember the deities he desires. He may then reflect: “May fire, moved by wind, nourish the earthly element; having received space, may it digest, and may happiness be mine. May this food bring me strength from earth, water, fire, and wind; as it is digested, may unobstructed happiness be mine. May food nourish my prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna, and vyāna; may unobstructed happiness also be mine. May Agastya, fire, and the submarine fire digest the food I have eaten; may the happiness arising from its digestion grant me freedom from disease in my body. Viṣṇu, the indweller of all senses and bodies, is never in vain; by that truth, may all the food I have eaten bring me health and proper digestion. Vishnu is the eater, likewise the food, and so too its transformation; by this truth, the food I have eaten is digested.” Having recited these prayers, he should gently wipe his abdomen with his own hand and, without laziness, perform actions that bring comfort. Thus, the householder fulfills his duties, eating in a way that brings health, merit, and freedom from sin.