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Donor or data (Samskrit : दाता) is one who consciously gives up the ownership over a thing/substance/item (eligible for dana) to another person (or community) who accepts mentally, vocally or physically the thing or material from the donor.
 
Donor or data (Samskrit : दाता) is one who consciously gives up the ownership over a thing/substance/item (eligible for dana) to another person (or community) who accepts mentally, vocally or physically the thing or material from the donor.
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Data Lakshanam
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== Donor Qualities ==
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'''Shraddha'''
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Eligible Donor
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When on seeing a needy person the donor feels pleasure and indicates it by a smiling face, when he shows honour and is free from a feeling or ill-will or irritation (towards the supplaint), that is said to be shraddha according to Devala. Manu says that he who gives a gift with honour and he who accepts it with honour both go to the heaven, but if the reverse is the case they go to hell. (Manu. 4.235)<ref name=":12">Kane, Pandurang. Vaman. (1941) ''History of Dharmasastra, Volume Two, Part 2.'' Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref>
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Ineligible Donor
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'''Selflessness'''
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It is mentioned in Mahabharata (Anushashana Parva 59.7) that whatever is in this world a most desirable thing and what one prizes most in one's house may be given to a man endowed with good qualities by a donor who desires inexhaustible merit from it.<ref name=":12" />
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==== Maintain Secrecy ====
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According to Yajnavalkya, the reward of making gifts secretly, possessing knowledge without having pride and engaging in japa without others noticing it is infinite. Devala says sacrifice, gift and study lose their power and perish by being declared to others, by boasting about them or by repenting of having done them. Therefore, one should not without good reason proclaim one's meritorious act.
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==== Ownership ====
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Jaimini (6.7.1 to7) establishes several propositions namely - a donor can gift only those objects that he owns and has earned them by just means. He cannot make a gift of what one's relatives (parents, sons and others) own in the Visvajit yaga among other things. Narada
    
== Guidelines for a Donor ==
 
== Guidelines for a Donor ==
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=== Apastamba Dharma Sutra ===
 
=== Apastamba Dharma Sutra ===
 
* Expounding on how should a Dana be given, the Apastamba Dharma Sutra says,
 
* Expounding on how should a Dana be given, the Apastamba Dharma Sutra says,
<blockquote>१ तत्र गुणान्समीक्ष्य यथाशक्ति देयम् || 2:5:10:2.||<ref name=":0">[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AC-%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Apastamba Dharma Sutra]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>tatra guṇān samīkṣya yathā śakti deyam || 2:5:10:2.||</blockquote>Meaning: [The donor] must examine the qualities [of the petitioner] and give according to his means.<ref name=":1">Pandit Rama Ramanujachari, [http://www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/pastamba_d._s._abridged.pdf Apastamba Dharma Sutras], Simha Publications (2012)</ref>
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<blockquote>१ तत्र गुणान्समीक्ष्य यथाशक्ति देयम् || tatra guṇān samīkṣya yathā śakti deyam || 2:5:10:2.||<ref name=":0">[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AC-%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Apastamba Dharma Sutra]</ref></blockquote>Meaning: [The donor] must examine the qualities [of the petitioner] and give according to his means.<ref name=":1">Pandit Rama Ramanujachari, [http://www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/pastamba_d._s._abridged.pdf Apastamba Dharma Sutras], Simha Publications (2012)</ref>
 
* What requests as charity should be disregarded ? Apastamba Dharma Sutra says,
 
* What requests as charity should be disregarded ? Apastamba Dharma Sutra says,
 
<blockquote>२ इन्द्रियप्रीत्यर्थस्य तु भिक्षणमनिमित्तम् । न तदाद्रियेत || 2:5:10:3.|| १७ योक्ता च धर्मयुक्तेषु द्रव्यपरिग्रहेषु च || 2:8:20:18.|| १८ प्रतिपादयिता च तीर्थे || 2:8:20:19.||<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>indriya prīty arthasya tu bhikṣaṇam animittam | na tad ādriyeta || 2:5:10:3.|| yā-uktā ca dharma yukteṣu dravya parigraheṣu ca || 2:8:20:18.|| pratipādayitā ca tīrthe || 2:8:20:19.||</blockquote>Meaning: But if persons solicit donations for the sake of sensual gratification, that is improper; one should disregard them. And let him acquire money in all ways that are lawful. And let him spend money on worthy [persons or objects].<ref name=":1" />
 
<blockquote>२ इन्द्रियप्रीत्यर्थस्य तु भिक्षणमनिमित्तम् । न तदाद्रियेत || 2:5:10:3.|| १७ योक्ता च धर्मयुक्तेषु द्रव्यपरिग्रहेषु च || 2:8:20:18.|| १८ प्रतिपादयिता च तीर्थे || 2:8:20:19.||<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>indriya prīty arthasya tu bhikṣaṇam animittam | na tad ādriyeta || 2:5:10:3.|| yā-uktā ca dharma yukteṣu dravya parigraheṣu ca || 2:8:20:18.|| pratipādayitā ca tīrthe || 2:8:20:19.||</blockquote>Meaning: But if persons solicit donations for the sake of sensual gratification, that is improper; one should disregard them. And let him acquire money in all ways that are lawful. And let him spend money on worthy [persons or objects].<ref name=":1" />
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Manusmriti (3.98) also gives a similar instruction to the donor.
 
Manusmriti (3.98) also gives a similar instruction to the donor.
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== Eligible Donor ==
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Ineligible Donor
    
== References ==
 
== References ==

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