Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

ज्वलन्त्यहरहो वेश्म याश्चास्य गृहदेवता: । ता: पूज्या भूतिकामेन प्रसृताग्रप्रदायिना,गृहस्थके घरकी अधिष्ठातृ देवियाँ उसके घरको सदा प्रकाशित किये रहती हैं, अतः कल्याणकामी मनुष्यको चाहिये कि भोजनका प्रथम भाग देकर सदा ही उनकी पूजा किया करे

Transliteration

jvalanty ahar-aho veśma yāś cāsya gṛhadevatāḥ | tāḥ pūjyā bhūtikāmena prasṛtāgrapradāyinā ||

Translation

Tag für Tag erstrahlt das Haus, getragen von den Hausgottheiten, die darüber wachen. Darum soll, wer Wohlergehen und Gedeihen begehrt, diese Gottheiten des Heims beständig ehren, indem er ihnen zuerst den vornehmsten Anteil seiner Speise darbringt.

Word by Word

ज्वलन्तिshine, blaze

अहर्-अहःday by day, every day

वेश्मhouse, dwelling

याःwho/which (f.pl.)

चand

अस्यof this (man/householder), his

गृह-देवताःhousehold deities

ताःthem

पूज्याःto be worshipped, worthy of worship

भूति-कामेनby one desiring prosperity

प्रसृत-अग्र-प्रदायिनाby one who gives the first portion (of food) set aside

Speaker

शुक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śukra

gṛhadevatāḥ (household deities)

veśma (the house/home)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A householder seeking auspiciousness should maintain daily reverence for the home’s presiding deities by offering them the first and best portion of food, affirming gratitude and sacred order within domestic life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śukra instructs on household conduct: he explains that the home’s well-being is upheld by gṛhadevatās and prescribes a daily practice—before eating, offer a first portion as worship—to secure harmony and prosperity.