Devanagari
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ
dīyate ’nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca
tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
Synonyms
dātavyam
—
worth giving
;
iti
—
thus
;
yat
—
that which
;
dānam
—
charity
;
dīyate
—
is given
;
anupakāriṇe
—
irrespective of return
;
deśe
—
in a proper place
;
kāle
—
at a proper time
;
ca
—
also
;
pātre
—
to a suitable person
;
ca
—
and
;
tat
—
that
;
dānam
—
charity
;
sāttvikam
—
in the mode of goodness
;
smṛtam
—
is considered.
Translation
Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
20. That charity performed with the conviction that is should be given, and given to a proper person who cannot repay, at the proper place and time, is known as sattvic charity.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
20. That charity performed with the conviction that is should be given, and given to a proper persons without expectation of repayment, at the proper place and time, is known as sāttvika charity.
Purport
In the Vedic literature, charity given to a person engaged in spiritual activities is recommended. There is no recommendation for giving charity indiscriminately. Spiritual perfection is always a consideration. Therefore charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava (devotee) or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. Charity to the poor is sometimes given out of compassion, but if a poor man is not worth giving charity to, then there is no spiritual advancement. In other words, indiscriminate charity is not recommended in the Vedic literature.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
One should be convinced that the gift should be given (dātavam iti). It is understood here that there is no desire for personal gain.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
Three types of charity are described. That charity which is given with conviction that it should be given (dātavyam) to a recipient (pātre) such as brāhmaṇa who can protect the giver with his knowledge and austerity, [Note: Scripture (Garuḍa Purāṇa) says that only a person who can protect the giver by learning and austerity should accept gifts.] is charity in the mode of goodness. Anupakāriṇe means to give to a person without expecting repayment or reimbursement. Proper place means at a holy place and proper time means auspicious times such as the time when the sun moves into a new zodiac sign.