Prapā Dāna
Prapā Dāna · prapā dāna, “the gift of a water stall”
Prapā Dāna is the gift of a prapā, a water stall where the weary and thirsty are given cool water through the four months of the hot season. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches it in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Chapters 172–173, when Mahārāja Yudhishṭhira, addressing him as Devakīnandana, asks at what time and by what vidhi (rule of the rite) it is done, and what its fruit is.
A shady maṇḍapa is built at the start of Caitra, large pots of cool water are set in it, and a gentle gṛhastha brāhmaṇa is kept to serve the water. The giver reaches svarga (heaven) in a divine vimāna (celestial chariot) and at last attains mukti (release). One without the means gives a Dharmaghaṭa, a pot of cool water, each day; one who cannot give even that tends the aśvattha tree. The same teaching gives the Agnīshṭikā Dāna, the gift of fire in the cold season.
When and where it is built
At the start of the month of Caitra, having learned a good muhūrta through a brāhmaṇa, one builds a fine maṇḍapa with thick, cool shade.
It may stand in the middle of the town, at the roadside, in a devālaya, under a caitya tree (a pīpala or a tree well known in the village), in a waterless place, or in the forest.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173
The vidhi
- In the middle of the maṇḍapa large pots filled with cool water are kept, covered with wet cloth. Drinking vessels too are kept.
- A gentle gṛhastha brāhmaṇa is appointed to give water constantly to the weary and thirsty.
- Provision is made for that brāhmaṇa’s living, and he is given money, food and whatever he wishes.
- When the Prapā is built in a good muhūrta, brāhmaṇas are fed according to one’s means.
- Then the Prapā is given with the mantra below.
- From that day, for four months, water is given without a break, and food too according to one’s means.
- Fragrant, cool, good, sweet-tasting water is kept in a good vessel and given to all to drink, and brāhmaṇas are fed daily according to one’s means.
प्रपेयं सर्वसामान्या भूतेभ्यः प्रतिपादिता ।
अस्याः प्रदानात् पितरस्तृप्यन्तु च पितामहाः ।
prapeyaṃ sarvasāmānyā bhūtebhyaḥ pratipāditā
asyāḥ pradānāt pitarastṛpyantu ca pitāmahāḥ
This Prapā is made for all beings. By the giving of it may my pitṛs (ancestors) and pitāmahas be satisfied.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173
The phala
- One who gives water thus in the grīshma ṛtu (the hot season) obtains the fruit of all tīrthas and all dānas, and is honoured by the devatās.
- He rises to svarga in a divine vimāna shaped like a kumbha (water pot), shining like the full moon.
- He enjoys happiness there for twenty crores of years, and Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras and all others stand ready to serve him.
- Born again on earth he is a brāhmaṇa who knows the heart of the four Vedas, and by good karmas he attains mukti.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173
Dharmaghaṭa Dāna
One without the means for Prapā Dāna gives a dharmaghaṭa, a pot full of cool water, daily to brāhmaṇas’ houses in the hot season. Each month its udyāpana (concluding rite) is done, and the dharmaghaṭa is given with many kinds of cooked food, cloth, dakshiṇā and the like.
That ghaṭa is called the form of Brahmā, Vishṇu and Śaṅkara. In that form one prays to it, and reciting this mantra one gives the water-filled pot to a brāhmaṇa:
एष धर्मघटो दत्तो ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मकः।
अस्य प्रदानात् सफला मम सन्तु मनोरथाः ॥
esha dharmaghaṭo datto brahmavishṇuśivātmakaḥ
asya pradānāt saphalā mama santu manorathāḥ
This dharmaghaṭa, whose self is Brahmā, Vishṇu and Śiva, is given. By the giving of it may my wishes bear fruit.
One who gives the dharmaghaṭa thus obtains the fruit of Prapā Dāna.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173
Watering the aśvattha
One who cannot give even a dharmaghaṭa tends the pīpala tree daily for the four months of the hot season. Saying these words, one goes in pradakshiṇā (keeping it on the right) and bows to the aśvattha:
अश्वत्थरूपी भगवान् प्रीयतां मे जनार्दनः
aśvattharūpī bhagavān prīyatāṃ me janārdanaḥ
May Bhagavān Janārdana, in the form of the aśvattha, be pleased with me.
By watering the aśvattha all pāpas (sins) are removed, and one obtains the fruit of Prapā Dāna.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173
Agnīshṭikā Dāna: fire in the cold season
In the same way, in the cold season, a compassionate person gives the agnīshṭikā, the brazier.
- At the start of the month of Mārgaśīrsha, after seeing a good muhūrta, in a devālaya, a maṭha, a house or at a large crossroads, one collects a great deal of dry wood.
- Morning and evening one lights a fire and offers homa with the vyāhṛtis.
- The fire is lit at both times, so that the poor, the helpless and those without clothes may warm themselves there.
- If someone is hungry, food too is given.
- While warming themselves, people should keep talking of Parameśvara and such matters; from this comes great puṇya (merit).
- If someone of his own wish talks of the king or of the people and such things for the good of others, he should not be stopped.
One who gives the Agnīshṭikā in this way goes to Brahmaloka in a divine vimāna like Sūrya. He enjoys happiness there for sixty-six thousand years, then is born here again, and becomes a brāhmaṇa who knows the four Vedas, a yājñika (a performer of yajñas), free of disease, wealthy and full of tejas (radiance).
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173