Katha:1.1.7

Mantra 1.1.7

Original Text:

वैश्वानरः प्रविशत्यतिथिर्ब्राह्मणो गृहान् ।
	तस्यैताँ शान्तिं हर वैवस्वतोदकम् ॥ ७ ॥

vaiśvānaraḥ praviśatyatithirbrāhmaṇo gṛhān ।
	tasyaitām̐ śāntiṃ hara vaivasvatodakam ॥ 7 ॥

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
वैश्वानरः	vaiśvānaraḥ	अग्नि के समान – जो सबका नाश करने वाला अग्नि है	Fire (cosmic fire, all-consuming)
प्रविशति	praviśati	प्रवेश करता है – भीतर जाता है	Enters
अतिथि:	atithiḥ	अतिथि – बिना पूर्व सूचना के आने वाला आगंतुक	Guest (unexpected visitor)
ब्राह्मणः	brāhmaṇaḥ	ब्राह्मण – वेदज्ञ, अतिथि के रूप में आया हुआ ब्राह्मण	Brāhmaṇa (Vedic scholar, guest)
गृहान्	gṛhān	घरों में – गृहों के भीतर	Houses (homes)
तस्य	tasya	उसके – उस अतिथि के लिए	For him (for that guest)
एताम्	etām	यह – इस (शान्ति को)	This (peace, appeasement)
शान्तिम्	śāntim	शांति – शमन, शीतलता, संतोष	Peace (appeasement, pacification)
हर	hara	ले आओ – लाओ, प्रदान करो	Bring (fetch)
वैवस्वत	vaivasvata	यमराज – सूर्यपुत्र यम का नाम	Vaivasvata (epithet of Yama, son of Vivasvat)
उदकम्	udakam	जल – पानी, अतिथि को शीतलता देने के लिए	Water

Translation/Explanation

Hindi: जैसे अग्नि सब कुछ भस्म कर देती है, वैसे ही ब्राह्मण अतिथि जब घर में प्रवेश करता है, तो वह अग्नि के समान होता है। गृहस्थजन उसकी तीव्रता को शांत करने के लिए उसे जल आदि देकर संतुष्ट करते हैं। हे वैवस्वत (यमराज)! अतिथि के लिए जल ले आओ, जिससे उसकी शांति हो सके।

English: Just as the vaiśvānara (cosmic fire) consumes everything, so too does a brāhmaṇa guest, upon entering a house, embody the intensity of fire. The householder seeks to appease this presence by offering water and hospitality, thereby bringing śānti (peace) to the guest. O Vaivasvata (Yama), fetch water to pacify the atithi (guest) and fulfill the duties of hospitality.

Commentary

Thus addressed, the father sent him to Death to keep his word and he having gone to the mansion of Death fasted for three nights, Death being away; when Death had gone and returned, his ministers or wife said to inform him, ‘a brāhmaṇa guest, verily like fire itself, enters houses burning them; and good men to allay his burning heat as that of fire, propitiate him by giving water to clean his feet, seat to sit upon, etc. Therefore, O Vaivasvata! fetch water to be given to Naciketā; also because evil consequences are declared in default.

Concept List

vaiśvānara
atithi
brāhmaṇa
vaivasvata
śānti
udaka