Shloka 35

Āloka-dāna (Dīpa-dāna), Sumanas–Dhūpa–Dīpa Phala: Manu–Suvarṇa and Śukra–Bali Exempla

Devanagari script

गन्धेन देवास्तुष्यन्ति दर्शनाद्‌ यक्षराक्षसा: । नागा: समुपभोगेन त्रिभिरेतैस्तु मानुषा:

Transliteration

gandhena devās tuṣyanti darśanād yakṣarākṣasāḥ | nāgāḥ samupabhogena tribhir etais tu mānuṣāḥ ||

Translation

ଦେବତାମାନେ ଫୁଲର ସୁଗନ୍ଧରେ, ଯକ୍ଷ-ରାକ୍ଷସମାନେ ତାହାର ଦର୍ଶନରେ, ନାଗମାନେ ସମ୍ୟକ୍ ଉପଭୋଗରେ; ମନୁଷ୍ୟମାନେ ତେବେ ଏହି ତିନିଟି—ଦର୍ଶନ, ସୁଗନ୍ଧ ଓ ଉପଭୋଗ—ଦ୍ୱାରା ତୃପ୍ତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• गन्धेन: by (the) fragrance
• गन्धेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तुष्यन्ति: are satisfied
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• दर्शनात्: from/through seeing (by sight)
• दर्शनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• यक्ष: yakshas
• यक्ष: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राक्षसाः: rakshasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नागाः: nagas (serpents)
• नागाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समुपभोगेन: by full enjoyment/consumption
• समुपभोगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-उप-भोग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• एतैः: by these
• एतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तु: but/and (emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• मानुषाः: humans
• मानुषाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

शुक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śukra
• Devas
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Nāgas
• Mānuṣas (humans)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Different orders of beings are characterized by different modes of satisfaction: gods by fragrance, Yakṣas/Rākṣasas by sight, Nāgas by enjoyment, while humans typically seek a composite satisfaction through multiple sensory avenues—seeing, smelling, and enjoying—highlighting the breadth (and potential restlessness) of human desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śukra is explaining, in a didactic context, how various beings respond to offerings or objects of pleasure. The statement functions as a comparative observation about the psychology and sensory orientation of different classes of beings, with a pointed remark about human tendencies.