Shloka 45
Āloka-dāna (Dīpa-dāna), Sumanas–Dhūpa–Dīpa Phala: Manu–Suvarṇa and Śukra–Bali Exempla
दीपदाने प्रवक्ष्यामि फलयोगमनुत्तमम् । यथा येन यदा चैव प्रदेया यादृशाश्व ते,अब मैं दीप-दानका परम उत्तम फल बताऊँगा। कब किस प्रकार किसके द्वारा किसके दीप दिये जाने चाहिये, यह सब बताता हूँ, सुनो
dīpadāne pravakṣyāmi phalayogam anuttamam | yathā yena yadā caiva pradeyā yādṛśāś ca te ||
Shukra said: “I shall now declare the unsurpassed linkage of merits—the supreme fruits—arising from the gift of a lamp. I will explain how, by whom, at what time, and in what manner such lamps should be offered. Listen.”
शुक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces a dharma-teaching: the gift of light (dīpadāna) yields supreme merit, and its efficacy depends on proper procedure—time, agent, and manner of offering.
Śukra begins an instructional discourse, announcing that he will lay out the rules and results of lamp-offering—who should give, when it should be given, and what kind of lamps are appropriate.