Vidyā Dāna

Vidyā Dāna · vidyā-dāna, “the gift of knowledge”

Vidyā Dāna is the gift of knowledge. Mahārāja Yudhishṭhira, having heard the rules of go-dāna (the gift of cows) and bhūmi-dāna (the gift of land), asks Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa for its glory in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa (Chapter 174). Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches that it is given by having a holy book written and giving it, by teaching disciples, by giving a teacher his livelihood, and by helping everyone who wishes to learn.

One without vidyā (knowledge) cannot decide between dharma and adharma, so one should always be intent on this dāna. Brahmā and all the devatās stand established in it. The gift of good knowledge gives the fruit of a thousand vājapeya yajñas, and the giver is honoured in Vishṇuloka for a kalpa. Other chapters of the Purāṇa add Vidyā‘s own words on who may receive her, and the reverence owed to the book.

The gift of a book

Śrī Kṛshṇa first gives the rite of having a book written and giving it, the Pustaka Dāna.

  1. In an auspicious muhūrta (hour), make a square maṇḍala adorned with a svastika and flower garlands. Set the book in its middle and do pūjā to it with gandha (fragrant paste), akshata (unbroken rice), flowers and the like.
  2. Do pūjā to the scribe. Make a pen of gold and an inkpot of silver and give them to him. The scribe must be of good conduct and heedful.
  3. The scribe begins writing. With a one-pointed mind he writes the mātrās, the anusvāras and the conjunct letters clearly, and keeps the words separate.
  4. The letters must be round, beautiful, even, and carry the top line.
  5. By this rule have written a Purāṇa, an Āgama, a Dharmaśāstra or the like that is devoted to Śiva-bhakti or Vishṇu-bhakti.
  6. At the end, do pūjā to the scribe with cloth, ornaments and the like.
  7. Wrap the book in two cloths. With dakshiṇā (the gift to the brāhmaṇa), give it to a brāhmaṇa of trained understanding, sweet of speech and an excellent reciter. Or, for the good of all, set it up in a maṭha, a mandira or a common house.

वस्त्रयुग्मेन संवीतं पुस्तकं प्रतिपादयेत् ।
सामान्यं सर्वलोकानां स्थापयेदथ वा मठे ॥

vastrayugmena saṃvītaṃ pustakaṃ pratipādayet |
sāmānyaṃ sarvalokānāṃ sthāpayedatha vā maṭhe ||

Wrapped in a pair of cloths, let the book be given; or let it be set up in a maṭha, common to all people.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 174

The phala of the book

One who gives a book by this rule gains a fruit a crore times greater than from yajña and tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage to holy places). The fruit of giving a thousand kapilā cows by rule is gained by giving one book. Then who can describe the fruit of giving the Purāṇas, the Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata, the Gītā and such holy texts?

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 174

Teaching and supporting students

Śrī Kṛshṇa asks who is as puṇyātmā (one rich in merit) as the man who rises at dawn and teaches his disciples the Vedas and other śāstras, and dance and the arts of song.

One who gives a teacher a livelihood and has students taught: what dāna has he not done?

By giving students food, cloth, alms, books and the like, all a person’s wishes are fulfilled without doubt. He becomes discerning and long-lived, and gains dharma, artha, kāma and all else.

Whoever wishes to learn śāstra-vidyā, śastra-vidyā (the science of arms), the sixty-four kalās (arts), śilpa (craft), jñāna and vijñāna should be helped as far as one is able. “Let the mind always be set on helping him, Pārtha,” Śrī Kṛshṇa says. One should always be ready to serve him, for that brings the highest gain.

One who arranges the daily reading of the Purāṇas and the like in a mandira of Bhagavān Śiva, Bhagavān Vishṇu or Bhagavān Sūrya gains each day the fruit of giving cow, land, gold and cloth.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 174

The phala of Vidyā Dāna

  • The fruit of a thousand vājapeya yajñas is gained by the gift of good knowledge.
  • One without vidyā cannot decide between dharma and adharma, so one should always be intent on Vidyā Dāna.
  • Brahmā and all the devatās stand established in Vidyā Dāna.
  • The giver of knowledge is honoured in Vishṇuloka for a kalpa.
  • Born again on earth, he becomes a dharmātmā (righteous) king: a giver, an enjoyer, endowed with beauty and good fortune, long-lived, free of disease, with sons and grandsons.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 174

Who may receive vidyā

Sumantu Muni tells King Śatānīka of the rule of the ācārya (teacher). Vidyā-devatā said to the brāhmaṇa: “I am your treasure. Protect me. Never give me to one who has envy. Then I shall stay powerful.” And she said: “Teach me to that brāhmaṇa whom you know to be a brahmacārī of purity and niyama (discipline). Teach me to the one who is not careless in guarding the treasure of vidyā.”

In the Madhyama Parva Śrī Sūta teaches the same to the dvijas. The guru should teach the Purāṇa on adhyātma (the self within) to a disciple who is a jñānī, dhārmika, pure, a bhakta, śānta (at peace), a Vaishṇava, free from anger and master of his senses. Besides sons, grandsons and the like, vidyā should also be given to a humble person. It is better to die taking vidyā along with oneself than to give it to one unfit. Vidyā herself says: “Do not give me to one without bhakti, to the wicked man, to the dushṭātmā (one of evil heart). Give me only to the good man who is heedful, pure, a brahmacārī, of purpose, and who knows the vidhi (prescribed rule).” If the excellent wealth of vidyā is given to a forbidden person, one of the two, giver or taker, goes in a short time to Yamapurī.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 4; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapters 7–8

Reverence for the book

The book, made by the devas, is honoured with gandha, flowers and the like. The Purāṇa names the form each part of it bears:

  • The thread that binds it is the form of Nāgarāja Vāsuki. It should never be thrown away.
  • The leaves are Bhagavān Brahmā.
  • The letters are Janārdana.
  • The mātrās set on the letters are the imperishable Prakṛti.
  • The script is Maheśa.
  • The mātrās of the script are Sarasvatī.

At a reading of Itihāsa and Purāṇa in a devālaya or tīrtha, one should first tell the māhātmya (the glory) of that place and that tīrtha, and then read the Purāṇa. By hearing the māhātmya the fruit of godāna is gained.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapters 7–8

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 4; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapters 7–8; Uttara Parva, Chapter 174