Chapter 209 - Rules relating to Gifts (dāna-paribhāṣā)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1. Listen to me. I shall describe the charities [i.e., dāna-dharma] that would bestow enjoyment and emancipation. One who does acts of charity (such as digging wells etc.) would get all things.

2. (Digging) reservoirs, wells and tanks, (constructing) temples, giving food and (establishing) gardens are (known to be) pūrtadharma, that confers emancipation.

3. Performing agnihotra (a kind of sacrifice), penance, truth, protecting scriptures, serving guests, (doing) vaiśvadeva (an offering made to the gods Viśvedevas) are said to be iṣṭa that take one to heaven.

4. The gift (made) at the time of the eclipse of planets and (that offered)at the time of the entry of the Sun from one constellation to another, gift made on the twelfth lunar days etc. (are also) pūrta, which also take one to heaven.

5-7. A gift [dāna] at the (proper) place, time and (to a proper) person would be of crore merits especially in the transit of the Sun on the tropics, on the equinox, at the (time of) vyatīpāta, at the waning of the day, at different days beginning the cycles of period, at the transit of the Sun from one constellation to another, on the fourteenth days, on the eighth days, on the fullmoon days, on the twelfth days, at the time of aṣṭakas (a collection of three days beginning from the seventh day after the full moon), at the time of sacrifices, festivals and marriages, at the Manu-periods, at the vidhṛti (yoga), on having had a bad dream and when a good brahmin has been got.

8-12. Otherwise it is desired that a gift (has to be bestowed) always upon those on whom one has the faith to do. Tropical (periods are) two, equinoxes (are) two making up four. The eighty-six (auspicious periods are)—the four viṣṇupadīs^[1], the twelve transits of the Sun from one constellation to another (and) the transit of the Sun in virgo, gemini, pisces and sagittarious. The eighty-six (periods) are said to have eighty-six times merits (than ordinary periods). The two summer and winter solstices are meritorious when it has come and when it ḥhas not come i.e., thirty nāḍīs^[2] in cancer and twenty in capricorn respectively. When the Sun stays in the libra or aries (it would be) ten (nāḍīs) in both. In the eighty-six (periods) described already sixty nāḍikās (are auspicious after the Sun’s entry). Among the auspicious periods of viṣṇupadī sixteen (nāḍīs) before and after (are auspicious).

13. It is said to be the vyatīpāta if the Sunday morning occurs in (the asterisms) śravaṇa, aśvani, dhaniṣṭhā and āśleṣā.

14-15. The kṛta (yuga) began on the ninth day in the bright fortnight in kārttika, the tretā (yuga) on the third day in the bright (fortnight) in vaiśākha, the Dvāpara (yuga) on the new-moon day in the month of māgha and the kali (yuga) on the thirteenth day of the dark (fortnight) in nabhasyaka (bhādrapada). One has to know them thus. One should also know the periods of Manu and others thus.

16-19. Gifts [dāna] made on the ninth day of the white (fortnight) in aśvayuk, the twelfth day in kārttika, the third day in māgha and bhādrapada, the new-moon day in phālguna, the eleventh day in pauṣa, the tenth day in āṣāḍha, the seventh day in the month of māgha, the eighth day of the dark (fortnight) in śrāvaṇa, the fullmoon day in āṣāḍha, and similarly fifteenth day of kārttika, phālguna and jyaiṣṭha, the three aṣṭakas^[3] in the later part of āgrahāyaṇī (December-January) and the eighth day known as the aṣṭaka confer undecaying benefits.

20. (In the same way one should give gifts in the auspicious periods) at sacred places like Gayā, (the river) Gaṅgā and Prayāga and temples etc. Gifts should be made without being requested. But knowledge, wealth and girls (should) not (be given as gifts thus).

21. Gift [dāna] should be made facing the east and the gift should be received facing the north. (By this) the longevity of the giver increases and that of the recipient does not decrease.

22-26. (In general) (the name of) the gotra of the recipient and their own selves are repeated and the gift is made (by the givers). In the case of giving away a girl in marriage (the name of) the three (gotras) (should be repeated). Gift should be given after bathing and worshipping the deity (along) with (the recitation of) the vyāhṛtis (the syllables bhū etc. of the gāyatrī mantra) together with water. Gold, horse, sesamum, elephant, servant, chariot, earth, house, girl and tawny, cow are the ten great gifts. The money got by one’s learning, valour, penance, means of a girl, by officiating as a priest and through the disciple is (said to be) śulka (fees, or bride’s-price etc.). All the wealth acquired by following some trade or work is also (known as) śulka. All that which was got by usury, agriculture and trade and that obtained as a favour and the one got by gambling, dice, stealing etc. and similar heroic pursuits (are said to be acquired) by some device. The three kinds (of acquisition) have three different kinds (of fruits).

27. Woman’s property is said to be of six kinds—adhyagni (gift made to a woman at the time of marriage), adhyāvāhanika (gift made to a woman at the time of leaving her father’s house for her husband’s house), gift made (by the husband) out of love or affection and gifts got from the brother, mother or father.

28. Brahmins, warriors and tradesmen (have their own) wealth. (But) a śūdra (will have) by their favour. One should not give as gift cow, house, bed and women to many.

29-30. If one promises to give a gift [dāna] and does not give, it would kill hundred of generations. Whatever little merit one has acquired should be made to the gods, preceptors, mothers and fathers with one’s effort. The wealth that has been given (as a gift) with a view to have something in return (would be) useless.

31-33. Piety is accomplished by faith. Even water given (to the thirsty gets) undiminishing (merit). One is said to be an excellent person (to receive a gift) if he is endowed with knowledge, good conduct and quality, avoids doing harm to others and protects and saves the ignorant. A gift made to the mother is hundred times (meritorious than the others), and that to the father is thousand times (meritorious). The gift given to the daughter (gets) endless (merits) and that to the sister (gets) undecaying (merits). A gift (given) to a creature (is) of equal merit and that (given) to a sinner (is) of great merit.

34-38. (A gift) to (a person of) the mixed caste (is) two times (meritorious), a gift to a śūdra (is) four times (meritorious), to a vaiśya (is)eight times (meritorious) and to a kṣatriya is sixteen times (meritorious). I shall describe (the merits of giving a gift) to a brahmin. (Gift made) to one who has studied the scriptures is hundred times (merit-worthy), to one who imparts the scriptures is of endless (merit). It is said that gift (given) to the priest and the officiating priest is of undecaying (merit). Gift given to those devoid of wealth and to a sacrificer would be of limitless (merit). A brahmin who does not do penances and study and has desire to accept gift would get drowned along with that just like a practitioner together with the stone in the floods. After bathing and touching (waters) properly one should accept the gift after becoming pure and restraining senses. The recipient of the gift should always repeat the sāvitrī (gāyatrī). Then the deity should be glorified together with the materials.

39-48. The recipient should utter the complimentary words loudly after having received from an excellent brahmin, (in a) soft (voice) (after receiving) from a kṣatriya (warrior), in a low voice (after receiving) from a viśa (tradesman) and mentally (after receiving) from a śūdra. (I shall describe the deities of different things). All (the gods) are the presiding deities for (the gift of) protection. Viṣṇu is the deity of the earth. Girl, servant and female servant are said to be governed by Prajāpati. An elephant is also governed by Prajāpati. The deity for the horse is Yama (god of Death). Similarly all the one-hoofed animals and the buffalo are governed by the God of Death. Nirṛti (is the presiding deity) of the camel, Śiva is that of a cow, Firegod is that of a goat, Varuṇa is that of a ram, Hari is that of a boar, Wind-god is that of forest animals, Varuṇa for the tank, (Varuṇa) for vessels of water such as the pot etc. and gems got from the ocean, Fire-god for gold and iron, Prajāpati for food grains and cooked food, Gandharva for fragrant material, Bṛhaspati for dress, Wind-god for all birds, Brahmā for knowledge and its accessories, Sarasvatī for books etc., Viśvakarmā for sculpture, Vanaspati for the trees etc. The deities of the materials make up the body of Hari. Aṅgiras is said to be the deity of umbrella, antelope-skins, bed, chariot, seat, sandals and vehicle. All ammunitions, weapons, banners etc. (are governed) by all the gods. A house also (is governed) by all the gods. (Lord) Viṣṇu is the presiding deity of all things.

49-54. Or Śiva may be (the presiding deity) because there is no other article besides the above. One should mention the name of the material and say that “I giving”. Then water should be given on the hand. This is known to be the procedure in all gifts. (The receiver) should say “(Lord) Viṣṇu is the giver. (Lord) Viṣṇu is the materials. I am receiving.” Wishing the welfare of the giver is the duty of the recipient (that confers) the two fruits of enjoyment and emancipation. One may accept gift from all for protecting the preceptors and servants and also to propitiate gods and manes. But he should not get satisfied with that. Money should not (be taken) from a śūdra for the sake of sacrifice. The benefit of that would reach the śūdra. Molasses, butter-milk and juices etc. may be accepted by an anchorite from a śūdra. A brahmin struggling for his existence may accept gift from all. If the brahmins are associated with fire and sun there cannot be any defect in teaching performing sacrifice or by accepting a gift from a prohibited person.

55. (A gift) is given in the kṛtayuga by approaching the person, is given in the tretāyuga after inviting (the person concerned). (A gift is made) in the Dvāparayuga to one who seeks and in the kaliyuga to one who follows and begs.

56-63. Water should be poured on the ground after mentally resolving to give to a suitable person. The ocean has its limit. But there is no limit for the gift [dāna]. (I shall give) to such and such a person belonging to such and such a gotra, who is a good soul, and a proper person who is learned in the Vedas and its accessories at the time of the eclipse of the Moon and Sun, at the entry of the Sun into a constellation, at the sacred places of great merit such as the Ganges, Gayā, Prayāga etc. “I make a gift of such and such an article for which Viṣṇu and Śiva and others, are the presiding deities for the sake of (getting) children, grand children, house, fortune, wife endowed with good qualities and for the increase of fame, learning, desire, fortune and health and for the destruction of all sins and for getting heaven, enjoyment and emancipation. I give this to you. May lord Hari (identical with) Śiva, the destroyer of spate of evils belonging to the heaven, sky and earth be pleased. May you be the conferer of the world of Brahmā on me for the sake of getting the piety, wealth and desire. I offer gold as fee to such and such a brahmin of such and, such a gotra for the sake of making this gift established”. All gifts should be made with this sentence for giving a gift.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

They are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Acquarious.

[2]:

One nāḍī is equal to 24 minutes.

[3]:

The collection of seventh, eighth and ninth days after full-moon.