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added Adeyam and references
The appropriate item for charity, Danavastu, called Deyam (Samskrit : देयम्) is a vast topic described in the ancient hindu literature. Among the deya things, many [[Puranas (पुराणानि)|puranas]] refer to different things as best, medium and of least significance each in a different way. Example : Skanda purana refers to curd and honey dana is of least type<ref name=":0">Agarwal, Sanjay. (2010) ''Daan and Other Giving Traditions in India.'' New Delhi: AccountAid, India</ref> whereas they are among the best according to Hemadri (Page 16 of Reference<ref name=":2">Pt. Bharatachandra Siromani (1873) ''[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.424417/2015.424417.chaturvarga-chintamani#page/n45/mode/2up Chaturvarga Chintamani by Hemadri, Vol 1, Dana kanda.]'' Calcutta: The Asiatic Society of Bengal</ref>).
The appropriate item for charity, Danavastu, referred to as Deyam (Samskrit : देयम्) is a vast topic described in the ancient hindu literature. Deyam includes numerous kinds of things offered in [[Dana (दानम्)]] during [[Yajna (यज्ञः)|yajnas]], vratas, [[Shraddha (श्राद्धम्)|shraddhas]], during special days of the months, at times of [[Samskaras (संस्काराः)|samskaras]] etc. Among the deya things, many [[Puranas (पुराणानि)|puranas]] refer to different things as best, medium and of least significance each in a different way. Example : Skanda purana refers to curd and honey dana is of least type<ref name=":0">Agarwal, Sanjay. (2010) ''Daan and Other Giving Traditions in India.'' New Delhi: AccountAid, India</ref> whereas they are among the best according to Hemadri (Page 16 of Reference<ref name=":2">Pt. Bharatachandra Siromani (1873) ''[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.424417/2015.424417.chaturvarga-chintamani#page/n45/mode/2up Chaturvarga Chintamani by Hemadri, Vol 1, Dana kanda.]'' Calcutta: The Asiatic Society of Bengal</ref>).
== Definition of Deyam ==
While Deyam (देयम्) refers to appropriate items that may be offered in charity, Adeyam (अदेयम्) refers to things which are prohibited from giving in dana.
== देयस्वरुपम् ॥ Definition of Deyam ==
A simple definition of Deyam as given by Devala quoted in Chaturvarga Chintamani of Hemadri is<blockquote>अपराबाधमक्लेशं प्रयत्नेनार्जीतं धनम् । स्वल्पं वा विपुलं वापि देयमित्यभिदीयते ॥ (Page 15 of Ref <ref name=":2" />)</blockquote><blockquote>aparābādhamakleśaṁ prayatnenārjītaṁ dhanam । svalpaṁ vā vipulaṁ vāpi deyamityabhidīyate ॥</blockquote>Meaning : That is deyam, (proper subject for a gift) which has been acquired by the donor himself without causing pain or loss to another or without worry of trouble to himself, whether it be small or valuable.<ref name=":1">Kane, Pandurang. Vaman. (1941) ''History of Dharmasastra, Volume Two, Part 2.'' Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref>
A simple definition of Deyam as given by Devala quoted in Chaturvarga Chintamani of Hemadri is<blockquote>अपराबाधमक्लेशं प्रयत्नेनार्जीतं धनम् । स्वल्पं वा विपुलं वापि देयमित्यभिदीयते ॥ (Page 15 of Ref <ref name=":2" />)</blockquote><blockquote>aparābādhamakleśaṁ prayatnenārjītaṁ dhanam । svalpaṁ vā vipulaṁ vāpi deyamityabhidīyate ॥</blockquote>Meaning : That is deyam, (proper subject for a gift) which has been acquired by the donor himself without causing pain or loss to another or without worry of trouble to himself, whether it be small or valuable.<ref name=":1">Kane, Pandurang. Vaman. (1941) ''History of Dharmasastra, Volume Two, Part 2.'' Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute</ref>
If one possessing a thousand gives away a gift of hundred or one having ten gives away one and another gives only water according to his ability, they all reap an equal reward.<ref name=":1" />
If one possessing a thousand gives away a gift of hundred or one having ten gives away one and another gives only water according to his ability, they all reap an equal reward.<ref name=":1" />
== अदेयम् ॥ Adeyam ==
There are at least nine categories of things which should not be given in charity as described in various [[Smrti (स्मृतिः)|smrtis]] and [[Puranas (पुराणानि)|puranas]]. Here the idea is <blockquote>सामान्यं पुत्रदाराधि-सर्वस्व-न्यासयाचितम् । प्रतिश्रुतं तथान्यस्य न देयं त्वष्टधा स्मृतम् ।। १,१४.२ ।।</blockquote><blockquote>कुटुम्बभक्तवसनाद्देयं यदतिरिच्यते । मध्वास्वादो विषं पश्चाद्दातुर्धमोऽन्यथा भवेत् ।। १,१४.३ ।। (Brha. Smrt. 1.14.2-3)<ref>Brhaspati Smrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5% Adhyaya अदेयदेयदत्तानि])</ref></blockquote>According to Brhaspati Smrti, eight such categories are mentioned.
#Samanya (सामान्यम्) - that which is ordinary or owned by everyone (स्वमनेकस्वामिकम्). Things which are used as common property by many people such as Rathas are intended, and not things such as gold held by an undivided family.
#Putra (पुत्र) - a son should never be given away in dana (yajamana can give a child for adoption or vikraya only with the permission of the child (if older in age) and wife).
#Wife (दारा) - a wife should never be given away as dana (and Vikraya). Even though a yajamani has a right over his wife and children he should not give them away in dana/adoption etc. Here the parents of yajamana's wife have a right over their daughter even if she is given away in Kanyadana by them to him. Thus Yudhisthira's placing Draupadi as a pawn in the game of dice (without her permission) is not appropriate according to this smriti vachana. In Raja Harishchandra's story, he sold his wife (Chandramati) to which she was agreeable, hence appropriate according to this smrti vachana.
#Sarvasva (सर्वस्वं) - giving away everything despite availability of descendants.
#Nyasa (न्यासम्) - that which has been deposited with you in trust.
#Yachita (याचितम्) - that which has been borrowed from someone for his use.
#Aadhi (आधि)- that which has been pawned with you.
#Anyasya Pratishrutam (प्रतिश्रुतं तथान्यस्य) - that which has been promised to someone by word.
In Nyasa, Yachita and Aadhi, because the yajamani has no ownership (स्वत्वाभावात्) on the things he cannot give them as dana to others.
== Deya Things ==
== Deya Things ==
Among many things that are given in general for dana such as food, land, cows, gold, honey, clothes, lamps, education etc, on special occasions such as during [[Shraddha (श्राद्धम्)|shraddha]], sesame are given. A brief exposure to different items for gift is given in the following section as explained in a few texts as follows:
Among many things that are given in general for dana such as food, land, cows, gold, honey, clothes, lamps, education etc, on special occasions such as during [[Shraddha (श्राद्धम्)|shraddha]], sesame are given. A brief exposure to different items for gift is given in the following section as explained in a few texts as follows:
=== Yajnavalkya smriti ===
=== Yajnavalkya Smriti ===
According to this smriti, a person making a gift of land (capable of yielding a crop or fruits), lamp, wood, garment, water (water reservoir), sesame, ghee, rest house for travellers, money for getting a person married, gold, draught ox, is honoured in the heavenly world. One who makes a gift of a house, corn, protection from danger, shoes, umbrella, flowers, fragrances, conveyance (chariot etc), tree, a desired thing, a cot secures endless happiness.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>भूदीपांश् चान्नवस्त्राम्भस्- तिलसर्पिःप्रतिश्रयान् । नैवेशिकं स्वर्णधुर्यं दत्त्वा स्वर्गे महीयते ॥ यास्मृ१.२१० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>गृहधान्याभयोपानच्- छत्रमाल्यानुलेपनम् । यानं वृक्षं प्रियं शय्यां दत्त्वात्यन्तं सुखी भवेत् ॥ यास्मृ१.२११ ॥ (Yajn. Smri. 1.210 and 211)<ref>Yajnavalkya Smriti ([https://sa.wikibooks.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhayaya 1 Acharyadhyaya])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>bhūdīpāṁś cānnavastrāmbhas- tilasarpiḥpratiśrayān । naiveśikaṁ svarṇadhuryaṁ dattvā svarge mahīyate ॥ yāsmr̥1.210 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>gr̥hadhānyābhayopānac- chatramālyānulepanam । yānaṁ vr̥kṣaṁ priyaṁ śayyāṁ dattvātyantaṁ sukhī bhavet ॥ yāsmr̥1.211 ॥ (Yajn. Smri. 1.210 and 211)</blockquote>
According to this smriti, a person making a gift of land (capable of yielding a crop or fruits), lamp, wood, garment, water (water reservoir), sesame, ghee, rest house for travellers, money for getting a person married, gold, draught ox, is honoured in the heavenly world. One who makes a gift of a house, corn, protection from danger, shoes, umbrella, flowers, fragrances, conveyance (chariot etc), tree, a desired thing, a cot secures endless happiness.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>भूदीपांश् चान्नवस्त्राम्भस्- तिलसर्पिःप्रतिश्रयान् । नैवेशिकं स्वर्णधुर्यं दत्त्वा स्वर्गे महीयते ॥ यास्मृ१.२१० ॥</blockquote><blockquote>गृहधान्याभयोपानच्- छत्रमाल्यानुलेपनम् । यानं वृक्षं प्रियं शय्यां दत्त्वात्यन्तं सुखी भवेत् ॥ यास्मृ१.२११ ॥ (Yajn. Smri. 1.210 and 211)<ref>Yajnavalkya Smriti ([https://sa.wikibooks.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhayaya 1 Acharyadhyaya])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>bhūdīpāṁś cānnavastrāmbhas- tilasarpiḥpratiśrayān । naiveśikaṁ svarṇadhuryaṁ dattvā svarge mahīyate ॥ yāsmr̥1.210 ॥</blockquote><blockquote>gr̥hadhānyābhayopānac- chatramālyānulepanam । yānaṁ vr̥kṣaṁ priyaṁ śayyāṁ dattvātyantaṁ sukhī bhavet ॥ yāsmr̥1.211 ॥ (Yajn. Smri. 1.210 and 211)</blockquote>
== Dana Forms ==
== Dana Forms ==
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. A brief list of deya things are mentioned here under different headings.
Danas of various types are seen associated with individual's religious activities such as yajna, yaga, shraddha, vratas, and samskaras, during eclipses and sankranti (sun's passage into a zodiac sign), teerthayatras. Dana for community benefit is called as [[Utsarga (उत्सर्गः)|Utsarga]], which was mainly taken up by the governance involving kings and emperors. Gifts of certain kinds are called Mahadanas. A brief list of deya things are mentioned here under different headings.
=== Mahadanas (महा'''दानानि)''' ===
=== Mahadanas (महा'''दानानि)''' ===