Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

कथेयमभवत् तत्र त्वया या परिकीर्तिता । सुमनोधूपदीपानां सम्प्रदाने फलं प्रति

Transliteration

katheyam abhavat tatra tvayā yā parikīrtitā | sumano-dhūpa-dīpānāṁ sampradāne phalaṁ prati |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“在那里，正如你所叙述的那段对话发生了——其主题是向诸天奉献花、香与灯所生之果报。其时，阿修罗族（代提耶）之主婆利，在圣贤诗人舒克罗面前提出了这一极妙的问题。”

Word by Word

• {'kathā': 'conversation, account, narrative', 'iyam': 'this', 'abhavat': 'occurred, took place', 'tatra': 'there, in that context', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'yā': 'which', 'parikīrtitā': 'fully recounted, described', 'sumanaḥ (sumano-)': 'flower (lit. ‘good-minded/pleasant’), blossoms used in worship', 'dhūpa': 'incense, fumigation offered in worship', 'dīpa': 'lamp, light offered in worship', 'sampradāna': 'giving, offering, presentation (especially ritual offering)', 'phala': 'fruit, result, merit', 'prati': 'with regard to, concerning', 'devatāḥ (implied by context)': 'the gods, deities', 'daityarāja (contextual)': 'king of the Daityas (Bali)', 'kavivara (contextual)': 'excellent sage/poet (epithet of Shukra)', 'śukra (contextual)': 'Shukra, preceptor of the Asuras/Daityas'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bali
• Shukra
• Devas (gods)
• flowers
• incense
• lamps

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: ritual offerings—flowers, incense, and lamps—are not merely external acts but are evaluated by their ‘phala’ (ethical-spiritual result). It introduces a discussion on how devotional giving generates merit and what kind of benefit such worship yields.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma signals that the previously mentioned dialogue is now being presented: Bali, king of the Daityas, asks Shukra an excellent question about the results of offering flowers, incense, and lamps to the gods, setting up the ensuing instruction.