The Meaning of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’

'Atithi Devo Bhava' is a Sanskrit term that means that the guest is equivalent to God. It comes from the Taittiriya Upanishad. This phrase speaks volumes about Indian culture and Hinduism. In fact, it is used as a slogan by the Indian tourism department to show that India is a warm and welcoming place for people from all over the world. How did this phrase originate? In the ancient days, people had no means to communicate the news of their arrival to their friends or relatives. So the guest was an unexpected visitor at one’s home. The word ‘tithi’ means calendar. ‘Atithi’, therefore, means someone without a calendar. ‘Devo bhava’ means ‘like God’. Thus, the phrase was coined to remind people that one should treat a guest like God and not like an unwelcome intruder. This approach also helped to create a good relationship between the host and the guest. This concept is mentioned in Shijshavalli I 11.2 in the Taittiriya Upanishad. The entire phrase goes like this: Matru devo bhava, Pitr devo bhava, Acharya devo hava, Atithi devo bhava’. It means that we should regard our mother, father, guru, and guest as God. This hymn reveals the importance of respecting these important people who play vital roles in our lives.

Rituals related to Atithi Devo Bhava

In the modern world, people rarely perform any rituals to welcome guests into their homes. But this was not so in ancient times. There were certain prescribed rituals for this purpose. Some people observe them even now, as they consider such rituals an integral part of their culture and tradition. Let us see what they are.

Dhupa

This ritual is about offering the guest a room that has a pleasant fragrance. This elevates their mood and feeling of comfort. After all, nobody wants to stay in a room with a bad odor.

Diya

Diya is an oil lamp. Even now, a new bride in India is welcomed into her husband’s home with a lighted lamp. This is a Hindu custom. In the case of the guest, too, the diya signifies a warm welcome to the visitor. Also, in the days before electricity, if a guest arrived at dusk or night, the light from the lamp helped the host to identify the guest.

Naivedya

Naivedya comprises fruits and milk-based sweets. People in the past often had to travel long distances by foot to reach their destination, as there were no buses and trains. This made them tired and hungry by the time they arrived at their host’s place. Offering them fruits and sweets helped them to replenish their energy.

Akshata

In this ritual, the host applies tilak on the guest’s forehead and also some rice grains or akshata on it. This signifies that the host is welcoming them and inviting them to be a part of their house.

Pushpa

Flowers or ‘pushpa’ are also offered to guests, especially female guests, to indicate goodwill. The host offers flowers again when the guest leaves their house to symbolize the fact that they are leaving with pleasant memories. All the above rituals have been observed by Hindus as part of their culture and tradition when they received guests at home since ancient times. But in the modern world, very few people observe such customs. Not surprisingly, there are some legends and myths, too, that illustrate the concept of Atithi Devo Bhava. One can find them in the Scriptures.

Sudama visits Krishna

Sudama and Lord Krishna were childhood friends who studied together. But Sudama was not wealthy like his friend. One day, Sudama’s wife told him to visit Krishna and seek his help. So Sudama went to see his friend. He took some poha with him, as he knew that Krishna loved poha. It was a humble gift, but it was all he could afford. Krishna was overjoyed to see Sudama and welcomed him with great warmth and love. He treated him like royalty. Sudama was so overwhelmed by Krishna’s warmth that he forgot to ask for his help. But when he returned home, he was amazed to find an opulent mansion where his humble hut had stood and his wife and children wearing expensive clothes and jewelry. It was Krishna’s leela, for he knew all about Sudama’s plight even without Sudama uttering a single word.

Shabari and Lord Rama

An old woman, Shabari, was a great devotee of Rama. Once when Rama paid her a visit, she gave him some berries to eat. But before she gave them to him, she tasted them to see if they were ripe and sweet. Such was her love for Rama. Instead of being offended that she had tasted them first, Rama relished the berries, for he knew that she did it out of devotion.

Conclusion

In some stories (in diverse cultures), God sometimes visits us in disguise to test us. If we treat the visitor well, God is pleased and blesses us. But if we are rude towards the visitor, we may incur God’s wrath. Such stories also highlight the fact that guests should be treated with respect and courtesy. Above all, Atithi Devo Bhava reminds us of the essential Hindu belief that God resides within all of us, so when we treat guests well, we are respecting God himself.