Shloka 42

Āloka-dāna (Dīpa-dāna), Sumanas–Dhūpa–Dīpa Phala: Manu–Suvarṇa and Śukra–Bali Exempla

Devanagari script

अथ सर्जरसादीनां गंधै: पार्थिव दारवै: । फाणितासवसंयुक्तर्मनुष्याणां विधीयते

Transliteration

atha sarjarasādīnāṁ gandhaiḥ pārthiva dāravaiḥ | phāṇitāsavasaṁyuktaṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ vidhīyate, pṛthvīnātha! |

Translation

Śukra sprach: „O Herr der Erde, für den Gebrauch der Menschen wird eine künstliche Duftmischung bereitet: Man vereint die Gerüche harziger Stoffe wie Sarja und anderer erd- und holzartiger Aromatika und bindet sie mit süßem Sirup und vergorener Essenz. Dies ist das zusammengesetzte Räucherwerk, dessen sich die Menschen gemeinhin bedienen.“

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सर्ज-रस-आदीनाम्: of (things) like resin and juices (etc.)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ज; रस; आदि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• गन्धैः: with fragrances/odours
• गन्धैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पार्थिव: O king (earth-lord)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दारवैः: wooden/derived from wood
• दारवैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारव
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• फाणित-आसव-संयुक्तम्: mixed with molasses and fermented liquor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फाणित; आसव; संयुक्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans/for people
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• विधीयते: is prepared/ordained
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (वि + धा)
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

• पृथ्वी-नाथ: O lord of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी; नाथ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

शुक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Shukra
• pṛthvīnātha (a king addressed)
• sarja-resin (sarjarasa)
• phāṇita (syrup/molasses)
• āsava (fermented essence/extract)
• woody/earthy aromatics (dārava/pārthiva gandha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how certain fragrances used by people are deliberately compounded from resins, woody/earthy aromatics, and sweet/fermented binders—implying a distinction between natural scent and manufactured (kṛtrima) preparations, relevant to discussions of proper ritual materials and practical human usage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Shukra is instructing a king, describing the method and ingredients by which humans prepare a mixed aromatic substance (incense/perfume compound), situating it within a broader didactic explanation of substances and their proper application.