− | Gifts of three things are said to be superior to the gift of anything else and are styled Atidana of cows, land, and Sarasvati (vidya) according to Vashishta Dharmasutra, Manusmriti 4.233, Atrismriti 340 also )<blockquote>त्रीण्याहुरतिदानानि गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती । अतिदानं हि दानानां विध्दानं ततोऽधिकम्॥ (Vash. Dhar. 29.19)<ref>Vashistha Dharmasutras ([http://www.hinduonline.co/vedicreserve/kalpa/dharma/vasishtha_dharma_sutra.pdf Adhyaya 29])</ref></blockquote> | + | Gifts of three things are said to be superior to the gift of anything else, and are styled '''Atidana,''' namely of cows, land, and Sarasvati (vidya) according to Vashishta Dharmasutras. <blockquote>त्रीण्याहुरतिदानानि गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती । अतिदानं हि दानानां विध्दानं ततोऽधिकम्॥ (Vash. Dhar. 29.19)<ref>Vashistha Dharmasutras ([http://www.hinduonline.co/vedicreserve/kalpa/dharma/vasishtha_dharma_sutra.pdf Adhyaya 29])</ref></blockquote> |
| Among the different things classified as Deyam, a different view of Hemadri quoting Devala is as follows:<blockquote>अन्नं दधि मधु त्राणं गोभूरुक्माश्वहस्तिनः । दानान्युत्तमदानानि उत्तमद्रव्यदानतः ॥</blockquote><blockquote>विद्यादानादनावास-परिभोगौषधानि च । दानानि मध्यमानीह मध्यद्रव्यदानतः ॥</blockquote><blockquote>परिभोग इति परिभोगसाधनं खट्वासनादि । उपानत्प्रेङ्खयानानि छत्रपात्रासनानि च । दीपकाष्ठफलादीनि चरमं बहुवार्षिकम् ॥ </blockquote><blockquote>बहुत्वादर्थजातानां संख्या शेषेषु नेष्यते ।अधमान्यवशिष्टानि सर्व्वदानान्यती विदुः ॥ (Page 16 of Reference<ref name=":2" />).</blockquote>Summary : Food, curds, honey, protection, cow, land, gold, horses and elephants - gifts of these nine are said to be uttama (best). Vidya (gift of education), house for unsheltered, domestic household items of comfort (परिभोग such as cots), medicines - gifts of these four are said to be of medium level. Shoes, swings, carts, umbrellas, vessals, seat to sit, lamps, wood, fruits, whatever is old and worn out, and all other unspecified objects are inferior.<ref name=":1" /> | | Among the different things classified as Deyam, a different view of Hemadri quoting Devala is as follows:<blockquote>अन्नं दधि मधु त्राणं गोभूरुक्माश्वहस्तिनः । दानान्युत्तमदानानि उत्तमद्रव्यदानतः ॥</blockquote><blockquote>विद्यादानादनावास-परिभोगौषधानि च । दानानि मध्यमानीह मध्यद्रव्यदानतः ॥</blockquote><blockquote>परिभोग इति परिभोगसाधनं खट्वासनादि । उपानत्प्रेङ्खयानानि छत्रपात्रासनानि च । दीपकाष्ठफलादीनि चरमं बहुवार्षिकम् ॥ </blockquote><blockquote>बहुत्वादर्थजातानां संख्या शेषेषु नेष्यते ।अधमान्यवशिष्टानि सर्व्वदानान्यती विदुः ॥ (Page 16 of Reference<ref name=":2" />).</blockquote>Summary : Food, curds, honey, protection, cow, land, gold, horses and elephants - gifts of these nine are said to be uttama (best). Vidya (gift of education), house for unsheltered, domestic household items of comfort (परिभोग such as cots), medicines - gifts of these four are said to be of medium level. Shoes, swings, carts, umbrellas, vessals, seat to sit, lamps, wood, fruits, whatever is old and worn out, and all other unspecified objects are inferior.<ref name=":1" /> |
| + | '''Vidyadana''' : Along with Vashistha dharmasutras, Manusmriti (4.233) and Atrismriti (340), Yajnavalkya smriti (1.212) say that the gift of vidya (vidyadana) is foremost among other gifts such as those of water, food, cows, land, garments, sesame, gold and clarified butter. |