FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.16.7

गृहेषु येष्वतिथयो नार्चिता: सलिलैरपि । यदि निर्यान्ति ते नूनं फेरुराजगृहोपमा: ॥ ७ ॥
gṛheṣu yeṣv atithayo
[griheshu yeshv atithayo]
nārcitāḥ salilair api
[naarchitaah salilair api]
yadi niryānti te nūnaṁ
[yadi niryaanti te noonam]
pherurāja-gṛhopamāḥ
[pheruraaja-grihopamaah]
Word-for-word
gṛheṣu — at home yeṣu — which atithayaḥ — uninvited guests na — not arcitāḥ — welcomed salilaiḥ api — even by offering a glass of water yadi — if niryānti — they go away te — such household life nūnam — indeed pheru-rāja — of jackals gṛha — the homes upamāḥ — like.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
gṛheṣu yeṣv atithayo
gṛheṣu
at home
yeṣu
which
atithayaḥ
uninvited guests
nārcitāḥ salilair api
na
not
arcitāḥ
welcomed
salilaiḥ api
even by offering a glass of water
yadi niryānti te nūnaṁ
yadi
if
niryānti
they go away
te
such household life
nūnam
indeed
pherurāja-gṛhopamāḥ
pheru-rāja
of jackals
gṛha
the homes
upamāḥ
like.
Homes from which guests go away without having been received even with an offering of a little water are like those holes in the field which are the homes of jackals.
Purport

In a field there may be holes made by snakes and mice, but when there are very big holes, it may be supposed that jackals live there. Certainly no one goes to take shelter in such homes. Thus the homes of human beings where atithis, uninvited guests, are not properly received are like the homes of jackals.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Homes where guests go away without having been received even with a little water are like homes of jackals. Pheru is a jackal.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Homes where guests go without even water are like jackal holes — no one would shelter there. The image is severe. A house that does not welcome is not really a house; it has become an animal's den.
Reflection Questions
  • Has my home become more jackal-hole than welcoming-hearth, even by accident?
  • What simple offering — water, a seat — would change the character of my space?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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