Verse 17.22
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते | असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||२२||
Transliteration (IAST)
adeśa-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaś ca dīyate | asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛtam ||22||
Word-by-Word Meanings
adeśa-kāle-at wrong place and time
dānam-charity
apātrebhyaḥ-to unworthy recipients
dīyate-is given
asat-kṛtam-without respect
avajñātam-with contempt
tāmasam-tamasic
Translation
That gift which is given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy persons, without respect, or with contempt - that is declared to be tamasic.
Commentary
Shankaracharya explains that tamasic charity fails on every criterion: wrong context, undeserving recipients, and disrespectful manner. Avajñātam (with contempt) is particularly significant - giving that humiliates the recipient is worse than not giving at all. Ramanuja notes that such giving may actually increase tamas in both giver and receiver, as it reinforces ego and causes suffering.
Themes
karmadharma