INTERPRETATION OF ATHITI.
N G Chandorkar found that though he waited for athities, i.e., guests, for a few minutes, after the daily vaiswadeva, none ever turned up and he intended to ask Baba, if the direction in the Vedas to wait for guests was a worthless direction. But when he went to Baba, the latter anticipated the query and thus spoke.
Baba: Yes. Yes. Guests will come! The devil, they will.
N G Chandorkar: True, Baba. I daily offer the Kakabali and go out and wait for guests. they never come.
Baba: Nana, the sastras are not in fault. Nor are the Mantras wrong. But their true importance you have not caught.. You get into your head a worthless interpretation and then stand and wait for guests. They will not turn up. Hallo! Does the term 'Athiti" denote a man 3 ½ cubits high and of the Brahmin caste? Athithi is what ever creature is hungry and comes on to you, at that time, whether it is human or a bird, beast or insect, all these seek food. The real Athiti that you get, you do not regard as such. These have come to you in lakhs. Nana, give up your rotten interpretation. At kakabali, take plenty of boiled rice outside the house and leave it there. Do not shout or call for any nor drive away. Whatever the creature that comes to eat, let not that disturb your mind. You get thus the merit of feeding lakhs of guests.
