The Danasagara and the Danaratnakara

Summary

'The Danasagara and the Danaratnakara' by Bhabatosh Bhattacharya compares two Sanskrit works that, despite their similar titles, are distinct compositions produced centuries apart. The Dānasāgara (‘Ocean of Gifts’) is attributed to the twelfth‑century Sena king Ballala Sena of Bengal, while the Dānaratnākara (‘Jewel‑mine of Gifts’) is associated with the fourteenth‑century scholar Candesvara of Mithila. Bhattacharya notes that only a fifth of the Dānasāgara has been published, and the Dānaratnākara remains largely in manuscript form; his study is based on several manuscripts from libraries in Bengal and Bihar. He summarises his earlier research, which showed that Candesvara’s Krtyaratnākara drew heavily from Ballala Sena’s Dānasāgara, and that both texts discuss the merits, types and procedures of gifts (dāna) in Hindu ritual. In this paper, Bhattacharya examines parallels and differences between the two works. The Dānasāgara organises gifts according to recipients, occasions and ritual context, emphasising royal charity and the social obligations of kings. The Dānaratnākara, while drawing on similar sources, expands the classification of gifts and includes citations from later Dharmashastra commentators. Bhattacharya concludes that although the titles suggest a close relationship, the two texts were written independently in different regions and reflect evolving ritual practices over two centuries. He highlights the importance of editing and publishing these works to understand the development of Smriti literature and the social history of charity in medieval India.