Shloka 28
Āloka-dāna (Dīpa-dāna), Sumanas–Dhūpa–Dīpa Phala: Manu–Suvarṇa and Śukra–Bali Exempla
अकण्टकानां वृक्षाणां श्वेतप्रायाश्व॒ वर्णत: । तेषां पुष्पाणि देवानामिष्टानि सततं प्रभो,(पद्म॑ च तुलसी जातिरपि सर्वेषु पूजिता ।) प्रभो! जिन वृक्षोंमें काँटे नहीं होते हैं, उनमें जो अधिकांश श्वेतवर्णवाले हैं, उन्हींके फूल देवताओंको सदैव प्रिय हैं। कमल, तुलसी और चमेली--ये सब फूलोंमें अधिक प्रशंसित हैं
akāṇṭakānāṁ vṛkṣāṇāṁ śvetaprāyāś ca varṇataḥ | teṣāṁ puṣpāṇi devānām iṣṭāni satataṁ prabho || (padmaṁ ca tulasī-jātir api sarveṣu pūjitā |) ||
Śukra berkata: “Wahai tuanku, antara pohon-pohon yang tidak berduri, yang kebanyakannya berwarna putih itulah yang bunganya sentiasa dikasihi para dewa. Teratai dan tumbuhan tulasī dimuliakan dalam segala persembahan (dan melur juga dipuji khusus dalam kalangan bunga).”
शुक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights principles of auspiciousness and ritual suitability: offerings that are pure, gentle (thornless), and symbolically sattvic (often associated with whiteness) are considered especially pleasing to the gods; lotus and tulasī are singled out as universally revered in worship.
Śukra is instructing his listener on which kinds of flowers are most appropriate and pleasing for divine worship, giving criteria (thornless, predominantly white) and naming exemplary sacred offerings such as lotus and tulasī.