Manava Dharmashastra 3.91

3.91

yadi dāridryātsāyamannadānaṃ na ghaṭate tadā naivaṃ mantavyam—'pradhānamatitherbhojanaṃ, tacca me nāstīti, kimanena madgṛhe praviṣṭeneti' | yato'śaktasya tṛrṇādidānenāpyatithipūjāvidhiḥ syāt | athavā nāyaṃ vidhirbhojana eva paryavasyati, kiṃ tarhi nivatsyataḥ śayanādi dātavyam |
tṛṇagrahaṇaṃ staraṇopalakṣaṇārtham |
bhūmirāsanaśayanavihārasthānam |
sūnṛtā vāk priyahitavacanaṃ, kathāprastāvādi vā |
etānyapyannābhāve satāmāgatasyātithe rnocchidyante, kiṃtu dīyante sarvakālam |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
If, through poverty, one is unable to provide food,—even then one should not entertain such thoughts as these—‘feeding is the chief factor in the honouring of a guest; this is not possible in my case; why then should I let him enter my house?’ Because for one who is incapable of doing anything else, even the providing of ‘grass,’ &c., would constitute the act of ‘honouring the guest.’ Or, the meaning may be that the providing of food alone does not constitute the full compliance with the injunction of ‘honouring the guest;’ one has to provide bedding, &c., also.

‘Grasses’—stands for bedding.

‘Place’—i.e., space for sitting, sleeping and moving about.

‘Kind words’—i.e., words, sweet as well as wholesome; in the form of conversation and stories, &c.

In the absence of food,’ ‘even these never fail’—i.e., are always provided—‘in the house of good people.’—(101)