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== Dana Forms ==

== Dana Forms ==

Danas of various types are seen associated with religious activities such as yajna, yaga, shraaddha, vratas, and samskaras, during eclipses and sankranti (sun's passage into a zodiac sign), teerthayatras.  

Danas of various types are seen associated with individual's religious activities such as yajna, yaga, shraaddha, vratas, and samskaras, during eclipses and sankranti (sun's passage into a zodiac sign), teerthayatras. Dana for community benefit is called as Utsarga, which was mainly taken up by the governance involving kings and emperors. 

'''Mahadanas''' : These include the Dashadanas (दशदानानि) which are ten in number and Shodashadanas (षोडशदानानि) which constitute donation of 16 kinds of things. These are described in great detail in Matsya Purana. Each of these is considered sacred and is expected to enhance the donor's age and virtue, to absolve one of all guilt and save him/her from nightmares. While the shodasha danas are clearly royal gifts or ones that are feasible only for the very rich, dasha danas are for people with more limited means. Both are accompanied by dakshina to the brahmins and elaborate rituals, ceremonies, feast for the guest and annadana and vastradana to the poor.  

'''Mahadanas''' : These include the Dashadanas (दशदानानि) which are ten in number and Shodashadanas (षोडशदानानि) which constitute donation of 16 kinds of things. These are described in great detail in Matsya Purana. Each of these is considered sacred and is expected to enhance the donor's age and virtue, to absolve one of all guilt and save him/her from nightmares. While the shodasha danas are clearly royal gifts or ones that are feasible only for the very rich, dasha danas are for people with more limited means. Both are accompanied by dakshina to the brahmins and elaborate rituals, ceremonies, feast for the guest and annadana and vastradana to the poor.  

== References ==

== References ==