Dāma, Dāna, Dayā

(Self-control, Charity, Compassion)

The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (5.1) has a story of the three classes of beings (deva, humans, and rakṣasa/demons) studying with the creator (Prajāpati). After their studies were complete, they each came for a final teaching. When the devas came before the creator, he said “Da” and they understood it as dama (to control yourself) [5.1.1]. When the humans (manuṣya) came before the creator he said “Da” and they interpreted as dāna (to give charity) [5.1.2]. When the demons (rakṣasa) came before the creator he gave them the teaching “Da” and they interpreted this as dayā (to have compassion) [5.1.3].

Lust/desire (kāma) is the primary weakness of the devas. Greed (lobha) is the primary issue of humans, and lack of empathy (or cruelty) is the primary problem of the rakṣasas. Each of the three beings possess all three, but they each have a primary weakness. According to the Bhagavad Gītā (16.21) desire (kāma), greed (lobha), and anger (krodha), are the three-fold gates to the hell realms (naraka). When the great father, Prajapati, gave the teaching of “Da”, each of his students was able to hear the medicine to their weakness.

The devas tend to search for knowledge (vidya), but their desire can become insatiable as they become intoxicated by knowing (vidyā-mada). The humans work to attain prosperity, but can become intoxicated by wealth (dhana-mada). The demons focus on family connections as a line of power or fame through their actions, but can become intoxicated by this attention (abhijano-mada). Dama (self-control) protects one from intoxication (mada). The great beings in all classes remove ma-da (intoxication) by reversing the sounds to create da-ma (self-control). Similarly, dāna (charity) protects from the various types of greed and compassion (dayā) protects one from the various types of cruelty.

In Jyotiṣa, the devatā of the navāṁśa are devas, human (manuṣya) and rakṣasa repeated thrice through a rāśi. We will primarily see the navāṁśa devatā of the lagneśa to see which of these is the primary disposition. Even if rakṣasa sounds negative and deva sounds beneficial, each of these three has their beneficial parts and negative parts, none are good in themselves. A lagneśa in devāṁśa, may pursue wisdom, but will also suffer lust having a hard time controlling themselves. This lack of control can hurt their studies, schools, and other elements of their knowledge and its acquisition. A lagneśa in manuṣyāṁśa seeks wealth, and this is needed to generate, build and make wonderful creations. Greed can disturb this and create excess accumulation for oneself and create poverty for others. Lagneśa in rakṣasāṁśa may pursue power and fame, but someone needs to be mayor, or run a busines or a country, and ensure its safety.

A kind individual may have lagneśa in a rakṣasāṁśa, yet may put their focus on building fame for their musical group. This person may still pursue knowledge, but even in this pursuit will look for recognition and fame as a primary goal of their practice. The rakṣasāṁśa simply indicates the predominance of the direction and thereby the remedial practices that will support the person to attain their goal in a dhārmik method.  

We will primarily see the navāṁśa devatā of the lagneśa to see the type of remedies which support the disposition to achieve success in a good way. For the deva consciousness, practices of self-control like fasting and austerities are indicated. For the human consciousness, the science of donation (dāna) is indicated as the most supportive type of remedy. For the rakṣasa consciouses, service (seva) becomes the most supportive remedy to keep the person on a good path. Secondarily, the navāṁśa devatā of the mahādaśā lord can indicate what types of remedy may become primary during a certain time period to protect a person’s fulfillment of their dharma and spiritual health. This is a technique that can help fine tune choosing appropriate spiritual remedies.

These remedies may also be seen culturally. Hindu culture is more directed towards knowledge and therefore takes the path of the deva. This path requires dama, which is why India is filled with people performing various fasts and vrata (austere vows). European cultures tend to be more manuṣya focused and therefore charity becomes a balance to uphold social wellbeing. A more militant and controlling culture such as China requires the practice of compassion to support the success of their form of government.  

The great creator father, Prajapati, gave his teaching as “Da” for the deva, humans and rakṣasa. It benefits ourselves to practice self-control (dama), charity (dāna) and to work towards developing greater compassion (dayā), so that we can better ourselves and make the world a better place for all beings.