Shloka : 138

अन्नाद्यै: शक्तितोऽभ्यर्च्यो ह्यतिथिस्तैर्गृहागत: ।

दैवं पैत्र्यं यथाशक्ति कर्तव्यं च यथोचितम् ॥ 138 ॥

અને તે ગૃહસ્થાશ્રમી તેમણે, પોતાને ઘેર આવ્યો એવો જે અતિથિ તેને પોતાના સાર્મથ્ય પ્રમાણે અન્નાદિકે કરીને પૂજવો. અને વળી હોમાદિક જે દેવકર્મ અને શ્રાદ્ધાદિક જે પિતૃકર્મ તે જે તે, પોતાના સાર્મથ્ય પ્રમાણે યથાવિધિ જેમ ઘટે તેમ કરવું. ॥ 138 ॥

And a Grihastha should serve the guest who is visiting him, through food etc. as per his capacity. And he should perform 'Homa' etc. holy deeds related to God and 'Shraddh' etc. holy deeds related to ancestors as per his capacity through proper ceremonies as per requirement. || 138 ||

Commentary

The Grihastha devotees of Shri Hari should please the Atithis by offering them food, water etc. and by greeting, addressing them properly as per their capacity. An 'Atithi' means a person whose date of visit is not fixed. A person, visiting on a fixed date, is called a 'Abhyagat'. A passer by whose senses have become weak, a student, a disciple who feeds his Guru, a monk and a celibate -these six types of mendicants should be considered as an 'Atithi'. Even an enemy who visits the house as an 'Atithi', should be served respectfully. Because serving an 'Atithi' is as good as serving Shri Hari. And a Grihastha should perform 'Vaishvadev' etc., holy deeds related to God and 'Shraddh' etc. holy deeds related to 'Pitrus' i.e. ancestors through proper ceremony as per one's capacity.

In this Shloka, Shriji Maharaj has mentioned to perform 'Homa' etc., holy deeds related to God as well as 'Shraddh' etc. holy deeds related to ancestors; these are to be performed as per one's capacity. Because Varnashram Dharma i.e. the duties assigned by the caste and various stages of growth period, if followed as per the instructions and teachings of Shri Hari and to please Him, then it is Bhagwat Dharma. Therefore, the devotees who have surrendered to Bhagwat Dharma, they should perform the holy deeds related to their Varnashram, as per the instructions of God please Him.