What should I donate for which planet? Does dāna really work as a remedy?

each graha has traditional items; given humbly to those in need, dāna is one of the most respected remedies.

Traditional associations include: Sun — wheat, jaggery, copper; Moon — rice, milk, white cloth; Mars — red lentils (masoor), jaggery; Mercury — green moong, green cloth; Jupiter — chana dal, turmeric, books, yellow cloth; Venus — rice, sugar, white sweets, perfume; Saturn — black sesame, mustard oil, blankets, black urad; Rāhu and Ketu — blankets, sesame, food for dogs or the poor. Many people give on the planet's weekday.

The principle behind it is simple: generosity reduces the weight of past karma and softens the ego. That is why the texts value how you give — with respect, without show, to someone who truly needs it — more than what you give.

Give within your means. Feeding a hungry person, supporting a student or caring for animals is real dāna, even if it does not match any list.

Source: Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra; Dharmaśāstra on dāna

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