Bhagavad Gita · 17.22 · Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith·22 of 28
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
adeśha-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaśh cha
dīyate asat-kṛitam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
Sanskrit recitation
Food, effort, and giving · 17.7–17.22 · Teaching
Translation
The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is declared to be of a Tamasic nature.
Meaning
Adesakale At a wrong place and time At a place which is not holy, where irreligious people congregate and where beggars assemble, where wealth acired through illegal means such as gambling, theft, etc., is distributed to gamblers, singers, fools, rogues, women of evil reputation and at a time which is not auspicious. But, this does not discourage giving alms or other charity to the poor and the needy. In their case these restrictions do not apply.Without respect, etc. Without pleasant speech, without the washing of feet or without worship, although the gift is made at a proper time and place.The donor does not give in good faith although he gets a worthy recipient. He never bends his head in worship. He does not offer him a seat. He treats him with contempt or disrespect.Lord Krishna says to Arjuna I have described that faith, charity, austerity, food, etc., are invariably coloured by the three alities. There was no desire on My part to refer to the lower ones but to distinguish the highest purity it was necessary to point out the mark of the other two. When the two are set aside, the third is more clearly appreciated in the same way as if day and night are removed the twilight is seen better. Even so be avoiding passion and darkness, the third, viz., purity or Sattva becomes vividly clear and purity which is the best can be easily realised
After Swami Sivananda
Food, effort, and giving· 17.7–17.22→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 17.7The food that is dear to each is threefold, as well as sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Hear the distinction of these.
- 17.8The foods that increase life, purity, strength, health, joy, and cheerfulness (good appetite), which are savory, oily, substantial, and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people.
- 17.9The foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief, and disease.
- 17.10That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, rejected, and impure is the food liked by the Tamasic.
- 17.11That sacrifice which is offered by men without desire for reward, as enjoined by the ordinance (scripture), with a firm faith that doing so is their duty, is Sattvic or pure.
- 17.12The sacrifice that is offered, O Arjuna, seeking a reward and for show, know that to be a Rajasic Yajna.
- 17.13They declare that sacrifice to be Tamasic which is contrary to the ordinances of the scriptures, in which no food is distributed, and which is devoid of mantras, gifts, and faith.
- 17.14Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-injury are all called the austerities of the body.
- 17.15Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.
- 17.16Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, self-control, and purity of nature—this is called mental austerity.
- 17.17This threefold austerity, practiced by steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is called Sattvic.
- 17.18The austerity that is practiced with the aim of gaining good reception, honor, and worship, and with hypocrisy, is said to be Rajasic, unstable, and transient.
- 17.19That austerity which is practised out of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be of the Tamasic nature.
- 17.20That gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to give in a suitable place and time to a worthy person, is held to be Sattvic.
- 17.21And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.
17.22The gift that is given in the wrong place and at the wrong time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is declared to be of a Tamasic nature.
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- tat
- that
- yat
- which
- kāle
- at the wrong time
- dānam
- charity
- adeśha
- at the wrong place
- dīyate
- is given
- tāmasam
- of the nature of nescience
- avajñātam
- with contempt
- udāhṛitam
- is held to be
- asat-kṛitam
- without respect
- apātrebhyaḥ
- to unworthy persons
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