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Atithi Satkara (Samskrit: अतिथिसत्कारः) refers to the hospitality offered to guests which is given great importance in the Bharatiya Parampara (tradition).
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== परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==
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The Taittiriya Upanishad says that, <blockquote>देवपितृकार्याभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् । devapitr̥kāryābhyāṁ na pramaditavyam ।<ref name=":3">Taittiriya Upanishad, [https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/tait.html?lang=sa Shikshavalli], Anuvaka 11.2</ref>  </blockquote>Meaning: Never swerve from the rites due to the devas and pitrs. (Taittiriya Upanishad, Shikshavalli, Anuvaka 11.2 ).<ref name=":4">Swami Sharvananda (1921), [http://estudantedavedanta.net/Taittiriya%20Upanishad%20-%20Swami%20Sarvanand%20&#x5B;Sanskrit-English&#x5D;.pdf Taittiriya Upanishad], Madras: The Ramakrishna Math.</ref>
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The rites due to devas and pitrs manifest in the form of the [[Panchamahayajnas (पञ्चमहायज्ञाः)|Panchamahayajnas]] prescribed as a part of the [[Varnashrama Dharma (वर्णाश्रमधर्मः)|Varnashrama Dharma]]. One among the five yajnas is [[Nru Yajna (नृयज्ञः)|Nru Yajna]] that broadly comprises of Atithi Satkara and Bhikshadana. It is said that,  <blockquote>नृयज्ञोऽतिथिपूजनम् | nr̥yajño'tithipūjanam । (Manu 3.70)<ref name=":02">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3]</ref></blockquote>Meaning : Nru Yajna refers to the hospitality offered to guests.<ref name=":12">Pt. Sri Rama Ramanuja Acharya, [http://www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/manu_for_modern_times.pdf The Laws of Manu for the 21st Century], srimatham.com</ref>
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It refers to respectful reception of brahmanas<ref name=":22">Pt. Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917), [https://archive.org/details/ManusmrtiHindiTranslationGirijaPrasadDvivediNavalKishore The Manusmriti], Lucknow: Naval Kishore Press.</ref> - ब्राह्म्यं हुतं द्विजाग्र्यार्चा | brāhmyaṁ hutaṁ dvijāgryārcāis |<ref name=":02" /> (Manu. Smrt. 3.74)
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Talking of respect towards people, the Taittiriya Upanishad further says,
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मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव । mātr̥devo bhava । pitr̥devo bhava । ācāryadevo bhava । atithidevo bhava ।<ref name=":3" />
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Meaning: May your mother be to you a worshiped; may your father be a worshiped to you; may your teacher be a worshiped to you, and so also may a guest be a worshiped to you (Taittiriya Upanishad, Shikshavalli, Anuvaka 11.2 ).<ref name=":4" />
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Therefore, in the bharatiya parampara a guest is equal to the supreme deity and hence, the behaviour towards a guest is of atmost importance and is considered a yajna.
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It is said that,<blockquote>विद्यातपःसमृद्धेषु हुतं विप्रमुखाग्निषु । निस्तारयति दुर्गाच्च महतश्चैव किल्बिषात् । । ३.९८ । ।<ref name=":0">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>vidyātapaḥsamr̥ddheṣu hutaṁ vipramukhāgniṣu । nistārayati durgācca mahataścaiva kilbiṣāt । । 3.98 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: An offering of food given to the fire in the form a Brahmana's mouth (vipra mukhagni), who is endowed with learning and austerities, saves one from great difficulties and sin.<ref name=":2">Pt. Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917), [https://archive.org/details/ManusmrtiHindiTranslationGirijaPrasadDvivediNavalKishore The Manusmriti], Lucknow: Naval Kishore Press.</ref>
 
It is said that,<blockquote>विद्यातपःसमृद्धेषु हुतं विप्रमुखाग्निषु । निस्तारयति दुर्गाच्च महतश्चैव किल्बिषात् । । ३.९८ । ।<ref name=":0">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>vidyātapaḥsamr̥ddheṣu hutaṁ vipramukhāgniṣu । nistārayati durgācca mahataścaiva kilbiṣāt । । 3.98 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: An offering of food given to the fire in the form a Brahmana's mouth (vipra mukhagni), who is endowed with learning and austerities, saves one from great difficulties and sin.<ref name=":2">Pt. Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917), [https://archive.org/details/ManusmrtiHindiTranslationGirijaPrasadDvivediNavalKishore The Manusmriti], Lucknow: Naval Kishore Press.</ref>
  

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