SHARING PRASADAM (FOOD) IN VEDIC CULTURE

Prabhupada: No no. You invite them, that "Anyone, you are welcome. Take prasadam." We can announce. Then you can judge how many people are coming daily. You should announce that "Anyone can come and take prasadam at noon." It is the duty of a grhastha to loudly cry, "If anyone is hungry, please come. We have got still food." That is the duty of a grhastha. If one does not come, then the chief of the house, he takes prasada. If somebody says, "I am hungry," so he should offer his own food. "You eat." This is duty of grhastha. Bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pacanti. Those who are cooking for themselves, they are simply eating sinful things. That's all. Bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pacanty atma-karanat [Bg. 3.13]. So hospitality is one of the duties of the householder. Atithi. Atithi means guest without any information. That is called atithi. Tithi means date. So if I go to your house, I inform you that "Such and such date I am coming there." But atithi, he does not inform you, all of a sudden comes. So you should have to receive him. That is called atithi. Pantha. People are moving... Formerly, if some of the walkers in the street, suppose he has become hungry, so he enters anyone's house. So "I am hungry sir. Give me something to eat." He'll immediately, "Take." Pantha-bhaga. There is a stock of foodstuff which is called pantha-bhaga. If somebody comes all of a sudden, he should take.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1972, Japan