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Line 225: − − == Who is eligible to Receive<ref>Daan-Dharm Parv. 13.1.37.8-15 (Ved Vyas, 2001, p. 5596).</ref> == − On his deathbed, Bheeshma explains the eligibility to receive to Yudhishtira, the future king. These are: (The receiver should have:) Lack of anger, Truthfulness, Simplicity, Lack of treachery, Lack of pride, Bashfulness, Tolerance, Self- control, Calmness of the mind. The person should also not take up undesirable activities. It does not matter whether the donee is well-known or is a new acquaintance, who has just arrived. − − Bheeshma also goes on to explain that a Brahmin with certain characteristics should not be given daan: one who criticises the Vedas, relies unduly on logic, does not propagate approved doctrines, is loud and noisy, abuses Brahmins, is suspicious of everyone, behaves like children or fools, and is bitter in dialogue.
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Dana (Samskrit : दानम्) is the tradition of 'giving away' or 'donation' without expecting any return' is practiced widely in the world as 'philanthropy', largely been driven by traditional faith-based motivation while the practice of purpose-based or secular giving is slowly gaining ground in the present day society. Traditionally the act of 'giving' involved a complex and variegated thought process of people who 'gave' in many forms (water, food, money) following rituals (shraddha, yajnas), themes (annadana, vratas, digging of wells for public welfare), ways (gupta dana : unknown to anyone, visible to everyone), times (kartika masa) and methods (scriptural procedures).
Dana (Samskrit : दानम्) is the tradition of 'giving away' or 'donation' without expecting any return' is practiced widely in the world as 'philanthropy', largely been driven by traditional faith-based motivation while the practice of purpose-based or secular giving is slowly gaining ground in the present day society. Traditionally the act of 'giving' involves a complex and variegated thought process of people who 'gave' in many forms (water, food, money) following rituals (shraddha, yajnas), themes (annadana, vratas, digging of wells for public welfare), ways (गुप्तदानम् । gupta dana : unknown to anyone, or visible to everyone), times (kartika masa) and methods (scriptural procedures).
== Etymology ==
== Etymology ==
# Respectful Transaction or [[#Right Disposition|Right Disposition]] (श्रद्धा)
# Respectful Transaction or [[#Right Disposition|Right Disposition]] (श्रद्धा)
# Appropriate object for donation, [[Danavastu (देयम्)]]
# Appropriate object for donation, [[Danavastu (देयम्)]]
# Right place, Dana Pradesha (दानप्रदेशः)
# Right premises, Dana Pradesha (दानप्रदेशः)
# Right time, [[Dana Kala Nirnaya (दानकालनिर्णयः)]]
# Right time, [[Dana Kala Nirnaya (दानकालनिर्णयः)]]
# Right procedure (शास्त्रविधिः)
# Right procedure (शास्त्रविधिः)
* Further, if the donor regrets making the dana, then it is known as Asura dana (असुरदानम्).
* Further, if the donor regrets making the dana, then it is known as Asura dana (असुरदानम्).
* If the dana is given without shraddha, it is known as Rakshasa dana (राक्षसदानम्).
* If the dana is given without shraddha, it is known as Rakshasa dana (राक्षसदानम्).
* When the receiver is scolded or told unpleasant things or is cursed afterwards, then the dana is known as Pishacha dana (पैशाचकदानम).
* When the receiver is scolded or told unpleasant things or is cursed afterwards, then the dana is known as Pishacha dana (पैशाचकदानम्).
Hearing this crystal clear explanation of the cryptic shloka, the King was overjoyed. Devarshi Narad then left the money in the King's care, and proceeded on his business.
Hearing this crystal clear explanation of the cryptic shloka, the King was overjoyed. Devarshi Narada then left the money in the King's care and proceeded on his business.
== Right Disposition ==
== Right Disposition ==
== Right Premises ==
== Right Premises ==
The places () where gifts are to be made are also specified in the Smritis, Puranas and digests. Danamayukha specifies that Dana given at home yields ten times as much merit (as when made elsewhere), a hundred times when made in a goshala (cowpen), thousand times when made in sacred places (tirthas) and an infinite number of times when made in the premises of Shivalinga (such as Shiva temples).<ref name=":12" /><blockquote>गृहे दशगुणं दानं गोष्ठे चैव शताधिकम् । पुण्यतीर्थेषु साहस्रमनन्तं शिवसन्निधौ ॥</blockquote>Apart from these places, riversides, oceans and important forest areas are also very sacred places to offer dana.<ref>Vachaspatyam (Refer to [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE Da - दा])</ref>
The places (देशः) where gifts are to be made are also specified in the Smritis, Puranas and digests. Danamayukha specifies that Dana given at home yields ten times as much merit (as when made elsewhere), a hundred times when made in a goshala (cowpen), thousand times when made in sacred places (tirthas) and an infinite number of times when made in the premises of Shivalinga (such as Shiva temples).<ref name=":12" /><blockquote>गृहे दशगुणं दानं गोष्ठे चैव शताधिकम् । पुण्यतीर्थेषु साहस्रमनन्तं शिवसन्निधौ ॥</blockquote>Apart from these places holy places or tirthas, temples, riversides, oceans and important forest areas are also very sacred places to offer dana.<ref>Vachaspatyam (Refer to [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE Da - दा])</ref>
* देवीपुराणे “सर्वे शिवाश्रमाः पुण्याः सर्वा नद्यः शुभप्रदाः । Devipurana states that all abodes of Shiva and all rivers are sacred places to for dana.
* देवीपुराणे “सर्वे शिवाश्रमाः पुण्याः सर्वा नद्यः शुभप्रदाः । Devipurana states that all abodes of Shiva and all rivers are sacred places to perform dana.
* न हीयते यत्र धर्म्मश्चतुष्पात् सकलो द्विज! । स देशः परमो नित्यं सर्वपुण्यतमो मतः । According to Yajnavalkya smriti quoted by Hemadri<ref>Pt. Bharatachandra Siromani (1873) ''[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.424417/2015.424417.chaturvarga-chintamani#page/n113/mode/2up Chaturvarga Chintamani by Hemadri, Vol 1, Dana kanda.]'' Adhyaya 3 - Pages 82 to 86 Calcutta: The Asiatic Society of Bengal</ref> that is a good place (सर्वपुण्यतमो देशः) to donate where dharma is followed by all brahmins
* Charities made on the banks of great rivers have always been lauded to bestow infinite rewards. This aspect has found many references in puranas and smritis. According to
: गङ्गा-द्वारे प्रयागे च अविमुक्ते च पुष्करे । नगरे चाट्टहासे च गङ्गासागरसङ्गमे । कुरुक्षेत्रे गयायाञ्च तीर्थे वाऽमरकण्टके । एवमादिषु तीर्थेषु दत्तमक्षयतामियात् । सर्वतीर्थमयी गङ्गा तत्र दत्तं महाफलम् ।
: Banks of Ganga river, Prayaga, Pushkara, place where Ganga joins the sea, Kurukshetra, Gaya,
== Types of Dana ==
== Types of Dana ==
=== प्रतिग्रहीता ॥ Receiver ===
=== प्रतिग्रहीता ॥ Receiver ===
A receiver should be assessed for his mental attitudes and physical conditions by the donor for a dana to be fruitful.There are sixteen kinds of payments made to donees that does not qualify as dana. <ref name=":02" />Some of these are: to an immoral Brahmin, to a fallen Brahmin, to a thief, to a liar, to an ingrate, to a sinner, to a person who sells the Vedas, money earned through injustice to the village / town priest, to one’s father and other such gurujan, to snake-charmers, to one’s servants, to one’s family, to a person who abandons his vanprastha ashram, or sanyasa ashram and becomes a householder again.<ref>Mahabharat, Vanparv, Markandeya Samaasya Parv, 3.12.200.6-8, (Ved Vyas, 2001, p. 1524)</ref>
A receiver should be assessed for his mental attitudes and physical conditions by the donor for a dana to be fruitful.There are sixteen kinds of payments made to donees that does not qualify as dana. <ref name=":02" />Some of these are: to an immoral Brahmin, to a fallen Brahmin, to a thief, to a liar, to an ingrate, to a sinner, to a person who sells the Vedas, money earned through injustice to the village / town priest, to one’s father and other such gurujan, to snake-charmers, to one’s servants, to one’s family, to a person who abandons his vanprastha ashram, or sanyasa ashram and becomes a householder again.<ref>Mahabharat, Vanparv, Markandeya Samaasya Parv, 3.12.200.6-8, (Ved Vyas, 2001, p. 1524)</ref>
== References ==
== References ==