History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.78

v7.c91.78

First *dāna*. High eulogies of gifts have been sung from the Ṛgveda downwards. The subject of dāna (gifts) in all its aspects has been dealt with in the H of Dh. vol. II. pp. 837-888. The Mahābhārata in numerous places (particularly in the whole of Anuśāsana-parva) and the Purāṇas such as Matsya chap 82-92 and 274-289, Agni chap. 208-213, Varāha 99-111, Padma V. 21. 81-213 (which agree almost verbatim with Matsya 83-92), Padma II. 39-40 and 94, III 24, Kūrma II. 26 devote a great deal of space to the subject of *dānas*. But here only two topics in relation to gifts will be dealt with, viz. gifts of food and gifts to brāhmaṇas The Ṛgveda condemns the person as merely a sinful one who does not offer food to the gods nor to his friends and uses it only to fill his own belly.¹⁴⁹⁸ The Ait. Br and the Tai¹⁴⁹⁹ Br. speak of 'food' as '*prāṇa*' (life) The Baud¹⁵⁰⁰ Dh. S states "all beings depend on food, the Veda says 'food is life,' therefore food should be given (to others), food is the highest offering". Manu¹⁵⁰¹ and Viṣṇu Dh. S. state 'the man who cooks food only for his own sake (and not for offering to gods and men) eats merely sin'. The Bhagavadgītā carries the same message 'those who eat food left after offering in sacrifice are freed from all sins, but those who cook food for their sake alone eat sin'. The Padma has a fine passage 'those who always feed the cripple, the blind, children, old men, persons that are diseased, helpless and pinched by penury, always enjoy bliss in heaven; there is no end to the merit (accumulated) by constructing wells and tanks, where aquatic animals and others moving on land drink water when they desire, for water is the life of living beings and life is centred in water'. The distribution of food particularly to learned brāhmaṇas is highly praised in Brahma-purāṇa¹⁵⁰² 218. 10-32, Padma V. 19. 289-307m, Agni 211. 44-46. 'The gift of food is superior to all gifts; food is the life of men, from food spring all beings; the worlds are dependent on food, therefore food is praised; man secures heaven by the gift of food; a person who joyfully gives food acquired by just means to brāhmaṇas deeply learned in the Veda is released from all sins' says Brahma. The Agnipurāṇa says 'The gifts of elephants, horses, chariots, male and female slaves and houses do not come up even to a sixteenth part of the gift of food (in merit), a person who committing a great sin afterwards distributes food becomes free from all sins and secures everlasting worlds' (211. 44-46). The Kūrma¹⁵⁰³ prescribes 'a man should give to a brahmacārin (Vedic student) food every day (i. e. when he comes begging), thereby he becomes free from all sins and reaches the abode of Brahmā'. Similarly, Padma calls upon house-holders to give as much cooked food to ascetics as would fill the begging bowl. From very ancient times a householder was called upon to perform five *Yajñas* (sacrifices) daily, two of which were *Baliharaṇa* and honouring a guest (Manu III. 70) and he was to place food on the ground for persons who had lost caste, who suffered from loathsome diseases, to cāṇḍālas, dogs, crows and even insects¹⁵⁰⁴ (Āp. Dh S II. 4 9. 5, Manu III. 92). Vide H. of Dh. vol. II. pp. 745-747 on Vaiśvadeva and Baliharaṇa. Underlying these provisions was the noble sentiment of universal kindliness and charity, the persistent idea that, in spite of social gradations, rules and prejudices dividing men from each other, one Supreme Light pervades and illuminates the meanest of creatures and makes the whole world kin. This spirit of a householder to regard it as his duty to offer food to all needy persons and particularly to poor and deserving students and brāhmaṇas has prevailed almost to the present day, though during the last few years shortage of food, high prices and rationing have undermined it a great deal.