atithi devo bhava
अतिथि देवो भव atithi devo bhava'Treat the guest as God' - a line from the Taittiriya Upanishad's graduation address (1.11.2), which in the same breath tells the student to treat mother, father and teacher as God (matru/pitru/acharya devo bhava). The scriptural root of Hindu reverence for elders, teachers and guests.
Where this term appears
- Why Hindus touch elders' feet (charan sparsh) Journal
Hindus touch the feet of elders, teachers and holy people in a gesture called charan sparsh (charan, 'feet,' plus sparsh, 'touch'), also known as pranama or, in its…
- The Taittiriya Upanishad: the ladder of selves, from food to bliss Treatise
Müller) Matru devo bhava, pitru devo bhava, acharya devo bhava, atithi devo bhava.