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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. Gifts of certain kinds are called Mahadanas.   

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. Gifts of certain kinds are called Mahadanas.   

=== Mahadanas ===

=== Mahadanas (महा'''दानानि)''' ===

These include the Dashadanas (दशदानानि) which are ten in number and Shodashadanas (षोडशदानानि) which constitute donation of 16 kinds of things. Though there some items of dana are found to be overlapping, the procedures are different. These are described in great detail in Puranas viz.   

These include the Dashadanas (दशदानानि) which are ten in number and Shodashadanas (षोडशदानानि) which constitute donation of 16 kinds of things. Though there some items of dana are found to be overlapping, the procedures are different. These are described in great detail in Puranas viz.   

Dashadanas  : Agnipurana (209.23-24) describes them in detail - dana of gold, horses, sesame, elephants, maids, chariots, land, houses, a bride, and a dark - brown (kapila) cow constitute the ten dashadanas.  

Dashadanas  : Agnipurana (209.23-24) describes them in detail - dana of gold, horses, sesame, elephants, maids, chariots, land, houses, a bride, and a dark - brown (kapila) cow constitute the ten dashadanas.  

Shodashadanas : Agnipurana (210.1 to 4)<ref>Agni Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6 Adhyaya 210])</ref> Matsya Purana (274 to 289) Linga Purana (Uttaratha.28) describe the sixteen mahadanas as :   

Shodashadanas : Agnipurana (210.1 to 4)<ref name=":3">Agni Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6 Adhyaya 210])</ref> Matsya Purana (274 to 289) Linga Purana (Uttaratha.28) describe the sixteen mahadanas as :   

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* तुलापुरुषदानम् । Tulapurusha dana

* तुलापुरुषदानम् । Tulapurusha dana

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.

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.

=== '''Dhenudanas (धेनुदानानि)''' ===

=== Dhenudanas (धेनुदानानि) ===

According to  

In imitation of the gift of the cow, gift of certain articles were made and they are described as dhenus. Matsya Purana (82.17 to 22) speaks of ten such dhenus viz. of guda (jaggery), ghrta (ghee), tila (sesame), jala (water), kshira (milk), madhu (honey), sarkara (sugar), dadhi (curds), rasa (liquids) and godhenu (cow itself). Some add the suvarnadhenu (cow of gold), navanita-dhenu (cow of butter) and ratnadhenu (cow of jewels). Agnipurana (210.11-12)<ref name=":3" /> enumerates the same ten dhenus.

 

== References ==

== References ==