Atharvaveda · Sūkta 9.8

9.8.31

इष्टं च वा एष पूर्तं च गृहाणामश्नाति यः पूर्वोऽतिथेरश्नाति ॥ ९.८.३१ ॥

He who eats before the guest enjoys the sacrifice and the pious works of the households.

पयश्च वा एष रसं च गृहाणामश्नाति यः पूर्वोऽतिथेरश्नाति ॥ ९.८.३२ ॥

He who eats before the guest enjoys the milk and the sap of the households.

ऊर्जां च वा एष स्फातिं च गृहाणामश्नाति यः पूर्वोऽतिथेरश्नाति ॥ ९.८.३३ ॥

He who eats before the guest enjoys the strength and the increase of the households.

प्रजां वा एष पशूंश्च गृहाणामश्नाति यः पूर्वोऽतिथेरश्नाति ॥ ९.८.३४ ॥

He who eats before the guest enjoys the offspring and the cattle of the households.

कीर्तिं वा एष यशश्च गृहाणामश्नाति यः पूर्वोऽतिथेरश्नाति ॥ ९.८.३५ ॥

He who eats before the guest enjoys the fame and the glory of the households.

श्रियं वा एष संविदं च गृहाणामश्नाति यः पूर्वोऽतिथेरश्नाति ॥ ९.८.३६ ॥

He who eats before the guest enjoys the fortune and the agreement of the households.

एष वा अतिथिर्यच्छ्रोत्रियस्तस्मात्पूर्वो नाश्नीयात् ॥ ९.८.३७ ॥

This one, who is a learned brahmin, is indeed the guest; therefore no one should eat before him.

अशितावत्यतिथावश्नीयाद्यज्ञस्य सात्मत्वाय यज्ञस्याविच्छेदाय तद्व्रतम् ॥ ९.८.३८ ॥

One should eat only when the guest has eaten; this is the vow, for the wholeness of the sacrifice and its unbroken continuity.

एतद्वा उ स्वादीयो यदधिगवं क्षीरं वा मांसं वा तदेव नाश्नीयात् ॥ ९.८.३९ ॥

Indeed this is the more pleasant: whether milk from the cow or meat, one should not eat just that.