Kaṭha Upaniṣad 21

21

āśāpratīkṣa anirjñātaprāpyeṣṭārthaprārthanā āśā, nirjñātaprāpyārthapratīkṣaṇaṃ pratīkṣā, ta āśāpratīkṣe / saṅgataṃ satsaṃyogajaṃ phalam, sūnṛtāṃ ca sūnṛtā hi priyā vāktannimittajaṃ ca / iṣṭāpūrte iṣṭaṃ yāgajaṃ phalam, pūrtam ārāmādi kriyājaṃ phalam / putrapaśūṃś ca putrāṃś ca sarvān etat sarvaṃ yathoktaṃ vṛṅkte varjayati vināśayatīty etat, puruṣasyālpamedhaso 'lpaprajñasya / yasyānaśnannabhuñjāno brāhmaṇo gṛhe vasati / tasmād anupekṣaṇīyaḥ sarvāvasthāsv apy atithir ity arthaḥ ///1,1.8 //

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—Hope, i.e., wish for something not definitely known but attainable. Expectation, looking out for something definitely known and attainable. Company with good men, i.e., the fruit resulting from association with good men. Sweet discourse, i.e., the fruit of true and pleasant speech. Ishtam, i.e., the fruit of a sacrifice. Púrtam, i.e., the fruit resulting from charities such as the laying out of a garden, etc. Putrapasun, i.e., children and cattle. All this is destroyed of the men with little intelligence in whose house, a Brahman, fasting stays. The meaning is that a guest is, therefore, under no circumstances to be neglected.