Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 108 Ch3.10 on 10 June 2026 Q&A

Question 1: Discernment in Generosity (Atithi Devo Bhava)

Question: I just have one little question from today, and this is about this Atithi Devo Bhava, you know, or the generosity. So, would you in the current times not advise some vivekabuddhi, you know, in terms of who would you give to?

Response: Okay, I already mentioned it in my last class. In the past, there were no hotels, motels, etcetera, especially for relatives, etcetera. Sannyasins are wandering monks. Sometimes they will get to some dharmashala, etcetera, but for ordinary people, very rare. So these instructions are meant for those days. Anybody can come to your house. So you will have to treat them nowadays. First of all, they inform you. Secondly, there is no need to be burdened themselves. Many hotels are available. Many people are capable of staying in hotels and just meet and exchange some words and enjoy and let them depart. We should not become burdens to anybody. Anybody also should not become a burden to us. But atithi here in this case—so many people are poor people, suffering people in various ways. There is earthquake, there is famine. So what are we doing in sharing with them? Because they are also atithis. They might not have come to your home, but they are coming to you in the form of news. That is why I said: dāna is whatever a person can afford, according to common sense.

Questioner: Okay, good.

Response: So that is how we have to understand.

Question 2: Inviting a Disliked Guest

Question: In the same context, we may have—like I actually did face a situation where you invited guests for dinner, but suddenly last minute, my husband invited somebody whom I just do not like because I am so aware of their not-so-good character.

Response: I understand the gist of it. Because it is your relationship with your husband, you should not dishonor him. So you should welcome him. So you do what best you can do without getting mentally involved. Physically, you will have to do. And even physically, you keep company only so long as it is necessary; otherwise, it will harm your own spiritual practice. But if it is too much, you will have to say: "I welcome you, I will give them tea or I will serve them whatever, but I have got my own agenda that should never be disturbed." So it depends upon the type of persons that are invited. Because of your relationship with your husband, you should not do otherwise, if you mistreat them as if you are dishonoring your own husband. Yes, of course, vice versa.

Question 3: Rules for Vanaprastha and Sannyasa

Question: In the grihasthashrama, we have guests, and we understand the need to serve guests, and we get into the habit of serving them naturally, and it becomes part of us. When we enter into vanaprastha ashrama or a semi-retired life, we want to slowly withdraw. How do these rules apply to vanaprasthi and sannyasa?

Response: Absolutely. If somebody comes, do the minimum. As I said, nowadays hotels, motels, and other places where they want to stay can be found plenty. But if you invite them to your house, your time has to be shared. Be very careful about it. And even if they are good people, but they may not be spiritual people, yes, so you will have to be very discriminative about it and spend time appropriately. That is why you start discerning whose company elevates my spiritual life and who is coming only to spend his time, spending our time mercilessly. You will have to cut off. But at the same time, if the person needs some help, definitely you should politely give it to him. But at the same time, unnecessary help also should not be given. So you will have to go by what they call "by the ear." That is why I gave some funny advice to some devotees: when you retire, just have only one room. Then when the guests come and see—yeah, those who are your own, your mother or your father or father-in-law, mother-in-law, then for them there will be a place. But how crowded it is? They themselves will not invite themselves. They might come at the very most for a cup of tea or whatever it is. But even that has to be discouraged. If you want to lead a spiritual life, many sacrifices have to be made.