Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 17
Āloka-dāna (Dīpa-dāna), Sumanas–Dhūpa–Dīpa Phala: Manu–Suvarṇa and Śukra–Bali Exempla
सोमस्यात्मा च बहुधा सम्भूत: पृथिवीतले । अमृतं च विषं चैव ये चान्ये तृतजातय:,इस भूतलपर अनेक प्रकारकी सोमलता प्रकट हुई। अमृत, विष तथा दूसरी-दूसरी जातिके वृणोंका प्रादुर्भाव हुआ
somasya ātmā ca bahudhā sambhūtaḥ pṛthivītale | amṛtaṃ ca viṣaṃ caiva ye cānye tṛtajātayaḥ ||
Shukra dit : «À la surface de la terre, l’essence même de Soma se manifesta sous de multiples formes. D’elle naquirent l’amrita, le nectar, mais aussi le poison, ainsi que d’autres espèces diverses.»
शुक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
A single potent source (Soma) can manifest as both beneficial (amṛta) and harmful (viṣa). Ethical discernment lies in recognizing that power and sacred potency are not automatically good; their value depends on manifestation, intention, and proper use.
Śukra explains a cosmological/etiological point: on earth, Soma’s essence appeared in multiple forms, giving rise to nectar, poison, and other varieties—accounting for the mixed, dual outcomes found in the world.