Why are guests considered deities in Sanatana Dharma?
In Sanatana Dharma, guests are not treated as ordinary visitors but are honored as divine beings. The ancient Hindu tradition teaches that serving a guest with respect and devotion is equivalent to worshipping God Himself. This sacred principle is beautifully expressed in the Vedic declaration “Atithi Devo Bhava”, which means “the guest is God.”
But who exactly is an Atithi? Maharishi Shatatapa, in Laghu Shata, explains that a virtuous person who arrives at one’s home without prior invitation, without a fixed purpose, at any time, and from any place should be regarded as an atithi. Because such a guest’s arrival is unexpected, it is believed to be divinely ordained. Therefore, an atithi must be welcomed as a manifestation of the Divine.
The Vedas clearly affirm the spiritual importance of hospitality. Serving a guest is described as a sacred duty, greater even than many ritual practices. Sage Suta declares that there is no deity greater than an atithi and no duty higher than honoring a guest. Thus, hospitality in Hinduism is not social courtesy—it is a religious obligation.
This ideal is powerfully illustrated in the Mahabharata. In the Udyoga Parva, the wise Vidura advises King Dhritarashtra that when a virtuous guest arrives, a householder should first offer a seat, then bring water to wash the guest’s feet, inquire about their well-being, and finally serve food according to one’s capacity. Such conduct reflects humility, compassion, and reverence.
The Vana Parva of the Mahabharata further states that a person who offers water, oil, light, food, and shelter to a guest never has to face the abode of Yama, the god of death. Similarly, the Manusmriti instructs householders to serve guests the same food they themselves eat. This practice increases prosperity, reputation, longevity, and happiness.
In Indian civilization, hospitality is formally known as Atithi Yajna, a sacred offering to guests. Atithi Yajna is counted among the Pancha Maha Yajnas, the five great daily duties of a householder. In performing this yajna, distinctions of caste, age, social status, or learning are set aside. Every guest is welcomed with equal reverence.
The Atharva Veda teaches that the sins of a householder are washed away by serving guests. It further states that welcoming a guest is equivalent to offering oblations to the gods. Scriptures even symbolically explain that by offering a seat to a guest, Lord Brahma is pleased; by offering water, Lord Shiva is pleased; by washing the feet, Indra and the other gods are pleased; and by offering food, Lord Vishnu Himself is satisfied. Thus, honoring a guest pleases all the deities at once.
At the same time, the scriptures strongly warn against neglecting hospitality. The Atharva Veda declares that a person who eats before feeding a guest consumes the merit of his own household. The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata adds that if a guest leaves a home hungry, thirsty, or disappointed, the guest leaves behind his sins and takes away the accumulated merit of the householder, leading to sorrow and downfall.
Hindu scriptures reinforce this teaching through powerful examples. Stories such as King Shibi sacrificing his own flesh to protect a dove, King Moradhwaj offering his son for the sake of a guest, and Queen Kunti sending her son Bhima in place of a guest all demonstrate the supreme value placed on Atithi Satkar—the sacred duty of honoring guests.
In essence, Sanatana Dharma teaches that hospitality is a direct path to righteousness, spiritual merit, and divine grace. By honoring a guest, one honors the entire cosmos.
Reference: You may also be interested to read “Why is Lord Ganesha worshipped first in auspicious ceremonies?“
