Shloka 2
Dhūpa–Dīpa–Bali Phala Praśna; Nahūṣa–Agastya–Bhṛgu Saṃvāda
Incense, Lamp, and Bali Offerings; the Nahūṣa Dialogue
धूपप्रदानस्य फलं प्रदीपस्य तथैव च । बलयश्न किमर्थ वै क्षिप्यन्ते गृहमेधिभि:,धूपदान और दीपदानका फल तो ज्ञात हो गया! अब यह बताइये कि गृहस्थ पुरुष बलि किसलिये समर्पित करते हैं?
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
dhūpapradānasya phalaṁ pradīpasya tathaiva ca |
bali-yaṣṭiḥ kimarthaṁ vai kṣipyante gṛhamedhibhiḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “The fruit of offering incense and likewise of offering a lamp has been explained. Now tell me—why do householders make offerings of bali (food portions) and cast them out as part of their domestic rites?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: beyond knowing the merit of incense and lamp offerings, one should understand the ethical and ritual purpose of bali—householders distribute portions as a duty of sustaining and honoring other beings and maintaining ordered domestic dharma.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on duties and merits, Yudhiṣṭhira asks a follow-up question to the teacher: having heard the results of dhūpa- and pradīpa-offerings, he seeks the rationale for the householder practice of casting/placing bali portions.