Guest -equivalents on Sanskrit

#NityanandMisraSays

I was asked on Twitter what a guest in general is called in Sanskrit, given that the word अतिथि refers to a guest who comes unannounced. Here are the words for guest in Sanskrit. Note the subtle differences from word to word.

अतिथि = "one who goes, i.e. does not stay [for long]" (अतति न तिष्ठति इति अतिथिः). A guest who comes unannounced and usually does not stay for more than one night (एकरात्रं हि निवसन् ह्यतिथिर्ब्राह्मणः स्मृतः, अनित्याऽस्य स्थितिर्यस्मात्तस्मादतिथिरुच्यते).

अनाहूत = "uninvited" (न आहूतः इति अनाहूतः). An uninvited guest.

अप्रणोद्य = "not to be turned away" (न प्रणोत्तुं योग्यः इति अप्रणोद्यः). A guest who cannot be turned away.

अभ्यागत = "one who has arrived facing [the host]" (आभिमुख्येन आगच्छति स्म इति अभ्यागतः). A guest who comes after informing.

आगत = "one who has arrived" ("आगच्छति स्म इति आगतः"). A guest in general.

आगन्तुः = "one who arrived" (आगच्छति इति आगन्तुः). A guest in general.

आवेशिकः = "one who is not in his own house" (अवेशे भवः इति आवेशिकः). A guest who keeps visiting others' homes.

कुतप = "one who causes pain to the ground [at his host's home]" (कुं भूमिं तपति इति कुतपः). An unwelcome guest.

गोघ्न = "one for whom the cow is approached [for milk]" (गौः हन्यते दुग्धार्थं गम्यते अस्मै इति गोघ्नः/गां हन्ति दुग्धार्थं गच्छति अस्मै इति गोघ्नः). A guest who is offered milk & milk-products. Note that the root 'हन् हिंसागत्योः' means both "to kill" and "to go [to]", here it means the latter.

दिवातिथि = "one who arrives in the day" (दिवा अतिथिः इति). A guest who comes after sunrise and before sunset.

परपाकरुचि = "one interested in food cooked by others" (परपाके रुचिः यस्य सः परपाकरुचिः). A guest who is only interested in eating at somebody else's place.

गृहागत = "one who has arrived at somebody's home" (गृहम् आगतः इति गृहागतः). A guest in general, hosted at home.

प्रघूर्ण/प्राघूर्ण = "one who has wandered or roamed" (प्रघूर्णति/प्राघूर्णति स्म इति प्रघूर्णः). A guest who has come just roaming around.

प्राघुण = "one who has wandered or roamed" (प्राघुणति स्म इति प्रघूर्णः). A guest who has come just roaming around.

प्रातरित्वा = "one who comes [early] morning" (प्रातः एति इति प्रातरित्वा). A guest who comes at sunrise or in the morning.

सांगतिक = "one who desires company" (संगतं भक्तिरस्य इति सांगतिकः). A guest who has come for company.

सूर्योढ = "one who has arrived with the [setting] sun" (सूर्येण सूर्यास्तकालेन ऊढः प्राप्तः) A guest who has come at sunset (सूर्योढस्तु स संप्राप्तो यः सूर्योऽस्तं गतेऽतिथिः).

©️ Nityanand Misra