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 nói: “Trên mặt đất, tinh túy của Soma đã hiển lộ thành nhiều dạng. Từ đó phát sinh cả amrita (cam lộ) lẫn độc dược, cùng vô số chủng loại khác.”
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.