Prapā
Prapā · pra-pā, “the place for drinking”
Grammar: feminine noun.
Meaning: a water stall, the pausalā.
In the scriptures: Yudhishṭhira, calling Śrī Kṛshṇa Devakīnandana, asks the māhātmya of Prapā-dāna, its time, its vidhi and its fruit, and Śrī Kṛshṇa answers (Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173).
The building. At the start of Caitra, having learned a good muhūrta through a brāhmaṇa, one builds a fine maṇḍapa with thick, cool shade. It stands in the middle of the town, at the roadside, in a devālaya, under a caitya tree, in a waterless place or in the forest. In its middle are kept large pots of cool water covered with wet cloth, and drinking vessels. A gentle gṛhastha brāhmaṇa is appointed to give water constantly to the weary and thirsty, and his living is provided: money, food and whatever he wishes. Brāhmaṇas are then fed according to one’s means.
The gift. The Prapā is given with this mantra:
प्रपेयं सर्वसामान्या भूतेभ्यः प्रतिपादिता ।
अस्याः प्रदानात् पितरस्तृप्यन्तु च पितामहाः ।prapeyaṃ sarvasāmānyā bhūtebhyaḥ pratipāditā |
asyāḥ pradānāt pitarastṛpyantu ca pitāmahāḥ |“This Prapā I have had made for all beings. By the giving of it may my pitṛs and pitāmahas be satisfied.”
From that day for four months water is given without a break, and food too according to one’s means. Fragrant, cool, sweet water is kept in a good vessel and given to all to drink, and brāhmaṇas are fed daily according to one’s means.
The phala. One who gives water thus in the grīshma ṛtu 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, like the full moon, and enjoys happiness there for twenty crores of years, with Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras and all others ready to serve him. Born again on earth he is a brāhmaṇa who knows the heart of the four Vedas, and by good karmas attains mukti.
For one without the means. One who cannot give a Prapā gives daily in the hot season a dharmaghaṭa, a pot full of cool water, to brāhmaṇas’ houses, with its udyāpana each month, and gains the fruit of Prapā-dāna. One who cannot give even that tends the pīpala tree daily for the four months of the hot season. He says “may Bhagavān Janārdana, in the form of the aśvattha, be pleased with me”, goes in pradakshiṇā and bows to the aśvattha. By watering the aśvattha all pāpas are removed, and he too gains the fruit of Prapā-dāna.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173
Related terms: Dharmaghaṭa · Agnīshṭikā · Aśvattha
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 172–173