Shloka 8
Āloka-dāna (Dīpa-dāna), Sumanas–Dhūpa–Dīpa Phala: Manu–Suvarṇa and Śukra–Bali Exempla
सुवर्णस्त्वब्रवीद् वाक््यं मनुं स्वायम्भुवं प्रति । हितार्थ सर्वभूतानां प्रश्न॑ मे वक्तुमहसि
suvarṇas tv abravīd vākyam manuṃ svāyambhuvaṃ prati | hitārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ praśnaṃ me vaktum arhasi ||
Bhishma said: Suvarṇa addressed Svayambhuva Manu, saying, “For the welfare of all beings, you ought to answer a question of mine. What is this practice by which the gods are worshipped with flowers? How did it come into use? What is its fruit, and what is its proper purpose? Tell me all this.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ritual inquiry as an ethical act: Suvarṇa asks Manu to explain the origin, purpose, and spiritual fruit of worshipping the gods with flowers, explicitly grounding the discussion in the welfare (hita) of all beings.
Within Bhishma’s discourse, a sub-narrative is introduced: Suvarṇa approaches Svayambhuva Manu and requests an authoritative explanation about the practice of floral offerings in divine worship—how it began, what benefits it yields, and how it should be used.