Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

कथेयमभवत् तत्र त्वया या परिकीर्तिता । सुमनोधूपदीपानां सम्प्रदाने फलं प्रति

Transliteration

katheyam abhavat tatra tvayā yā parikīrtitā | sumano-dhūpa-dīpānāṁ sampradāne phalaṁ prati |

Translation

Bhishma said: “There, the very conversation took place which you have recounted—its subject was the fruit that arises from offering flowers, incense, and lamps to the gods. At that time, the lord of the Daityas, Bali, placed this excellent question before the sage-poet Shukra.”

Word by Word

• {'kathā': 'conversation, account, narrative', 'iyam': 'this', 'abhavat': 'occurred, took place', 'tatra': 'there, in that context', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'yā': 'which', 'parikīrtitā': 'fully recounted, described', 'sumanaḥ (sumano-)': 'flower (lit. ‘good-minded/pleasant’), blossoms used in worship', 'dhūpa': 'incense, fumigation offered in worship', 'dīpa': 'lamp, light offered in worship', 'sampradāna': 'giving, offering, presentation (especially ritual offering)', 'phala': 'fruit, result, merit', 'prati': 'with regard to, concerning', 'devatāḥ (implied by context)': 'the gods, deities', 'daityarāja (contextual)': 'king of the Daityas (Bali)', 'kavivara (contextual)': 'excellent sage/poet (epithet of Shukra)', 'śukra (contextual)': 'Shukra, preceptor of the Asuras/Daityas'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bali
• Shukra
• Devas (gods)
• flowers
• incense
• lamps

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: ritual offerings—flowers, incense, and lamps—are not merely external acts but are evaluated by their ‘phala’ (ethical-spiritual result). It introduces a discussion on how devotional giving generates merit and what kind of benefit such worship yields.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma signals that the previously mentioned dialogue is now being presented: Bali, king of the Daityas, asks Shukra an excellent question about the results of offering flowers, incense, and lamps to the gods, setting up the ensuing instruction.