Danavastu (देयम्)

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 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 whereas they are among the best according to Hemadri (Page 16 of Reference).

Definition of Deyam

A simple definition of Deyam as given by Devala quoted in Chaturvarga Chintamani of Hemadri is

अपराबाधमक्लेशं प्रयत्नेनार्जीतं धनम् । स्वल्पं वा विपुलं वापि देयमित्यभिदीयते ॥ (Page 15 of Ref )

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.

It is not the extent of the gift that causes greater or lesser merit. Merit (punya) depends upon the mental attitude, the capacity of the giver and the way in which the donor acquired his wealth.

If a man were to given even the whole earth acquired by unjust means, or if he gives without shraddha or to an unsuitable recipient, he would secure no prosperity (religious merit) thereby. On the other hand, even a handful of vegetables with a heart full of shraddha given to a worthy person, secure him all prosperity. Instantly, the offer of amla (small gooseberry) to Adi Shankaracharya (the worthiest recipient) which secured immense prosperity to the donor, comes to one's mind.

If one possessing a thousand gives away a gift of 100 or one having ten gives away 1 and another gives only water according to his ability, they all reap an equal reward.

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 shrarddha, sesame are given. A brief exposure to different items for gift is given in the following section.

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.

भूदीपांश् चान्नवस्त्राम्भस्- तिलसर्पिःप्रतिश्रयान् । नैवेशिकं स्वर्णधुर्यं दत्त्वा स्वर्गे महीयते ॥ यास्मृ१.२१० ॥

गृहधान्याभयोपानच्- छत्रमाल्यानुलेपनम् । यानं वृक्षं प्रियं शय्यां दत्त्वात्यन्तं सुखी भवेत् ॥ यास्मृ१.२११ ॥ (Yajn. Smri. 1.210 and 211)

Vashistha Dharmasutras

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.

त्रीण्याहुरतिदानानि गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती । अतिदानं हि दानानां विध्दानं ततोऽधिकम्॥ (Vash. Dhar. 29.19)

Chaturvarga Chintamani

Among the different things classified as Deyam, a different view of Hemadri quoting Devala is as follows:

अन्नं दधि मधु त्राणं गोभूरुक्माश्वहस्तिनः । दानान्युत्तमदानानि उत्तमद्रव्यदानतः ॥

विद्यादानादनावास-परिभोगौषधानि च । दानानि मध्यमानीह मध्यद्रव्यदानतः ॥

परिभोग इति परिभोगसाधनं खट्वासनादि । उपानत्प्रेङ्खयानानि छत्रपात्रासनानि च । दीपकाष्ठफलादीनि चरमं बहुवार्षिकम् ॥

बहुत्वादर्थजातानां संख्या शेषेषु नेष्यते ।अधमान्यवशिष्टानि सर्व्वदानान्यती विदुः ॥ (Page 16 of Reference).

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.

Best of Dana

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.

Annadana : Mahabharata, Vanaparva describes annadana as one which bestows immense punya and is equal to no other gift.

तस्मात् त्वं सर्वदानानि हित्वान्नं सम्प्रयच्छह न हीदृशं पुण्यफलं विचित्रमिह विद्यते। (Maha. Vana. 200.35)

अन्नमेव विशिष्टं हि तस्मात्परतरं न च॥ (Maha. Vana. 200.37)

Bhudana : According to Mahabharata Anushasana parva (62.6), the gift of land is proclaimed to be the highest of dana.

Abhayadana : Vishnudharmasutras (92.1) says that the gift of protection from danger is the highest.