Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

जो अपने कल्याणकी इच्छा रखता हो, उसे प्रतिदिन पर्वतीय झरनेके पास, वनमें, देवमंदिरमें, चौराहोंपर, गोशालामें, ब्राह्मणके घरमें तथा दुर्गम स्थानमें प्रतिदिन दीप-दान करना चाहिये। उक्त स्थानोंमें दिया हुआ पवित्र दीप ऐश्वर्य प्रदान करनेवाला होता है ।।

Transliteration

yaḥ svakalyaṇam icchet sa pratidinaṁ parvatīya-jharaṇe samīpe vane deva-mandire catuṣpathe gośālāyāṁ brāhmaṇa-gṛhe ca durgame sthāne ca pratidinaṁ dīpa-dānaṁ kuryāt | teṣu sthāneṣu dattaḥ pavitro dīpo aiśvarya-pradaḥ bhavati || kulodyoto viśuddhātmā prakāśatvaṁ ca gacchati | jyotiṣāṁ caiva sālokyaṁ dīpa-dātā naraḥ sadā ||

Translation

ଶୁକ୍ର କହନ୍ତି—ଯେ ନିଜ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ଚାହେ, ସେ ପ୍ରତିଦିନ ଗିରିଝରଣା ନିକଟରେ, ବନରେ, ଦେବମନ୍ଦିରରେ, ଚତୁଷ୍ପଥରେ, ଗୋଶାଳାରେ, ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କ ଗୃହରେ ଏବଂ ଦୁର୍ଗମ/ଦୂରସ୍ଥ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଦୀପଦାନ କରୁ। ଏମିତି ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଦିଆଯାଇଥିବା ଶୁଚି ଦୀପ ଐଶ୍ୱର୍ୟ ଦେଇଥାଏ। ଦୀପଦାତା ପୁରୁଷ କୁଳକୁ ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ କରେ, ଶୁଦ୍ଧଚିତ୍ତ ଓ ଶ୍ରୀସମ୍ପନ୍ନ ହୁଏ; ଏବଂ ଶେଷରେ ଜ୍ୟୋତିମୟ ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କରେ ଜ୍ୟୋତିମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ସାଲୋକ୍ୟ ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• कुलोद्योतः: illuminator of the family/lineage
• कुलोद्योतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल-उद्योत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विशुद्धात्मा: one whose self/mind is purified
• विशुद्धात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्ध-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रकाशत्वम्: state of light/splendour
• प्रकाशत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाशत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• गच्छति: goes/attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ज्योतिषाम्: of lights/luminous beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)

• सालोक्यम्: sharing the same world (co-residence in the same realm)
• सालोक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सालोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दीपदाता: giver of a lamp (one who donates lamps)
• दीपदाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप-दा (कृदन्त; दाता)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरः: man/person
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)

Speaker

शुक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śukra
• dīpa (lamp)
• parvatīya-jharaṇa (mountain spring)
• vana (forest)
• deva-mandira (temple)
• catuṣpatha (crossroads)
• gośālā (cowshed)
• brāhmaṇa-gṛha (brāhmaṇa’s house)
• durgama-sthāna (remote place)
• jyotiṣāṁ lokāḥ (worlds/realms of light)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Daily dīpa-dāna (offering a lamp) in socially and spiritually significant places is taught as a dharmic practice that purifies the mind, supports communal welfare (light in public/liminal spaces), and yields prosperity and a luminous posthumous destiny.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on gifts and religious duties, Śukra delivers a prescriptive teaching: he lists specific locations for daily lamp-giving and then states the fruits—family honor, inner purity, prosperity, and attainment of radiant realms.