Guests (inquiry on behalf of a colleague not on the list)

[Martin Gansten]

>"Hindus normally explain their hospitality as inspired by the following line
>in Sanskrit: "Atithi devo bhava" (treat your guests like God).
>
>Can anyone tell me what scriptures this line appears in?"
>
>I assume that it should be "Atithir devo bhavatu" or something to that
effect.

Atithideva.h is a bahuvrihi compound: devo yasya atithi.h. The line goes:
maat.rdevo bhava, pit.rdevo bhava, aacaaryadevo bhava, atithidevo bhava...
You will find it in Taitt. Up. 1.11.2.

Regards,
Martin Gansten