Devanagari
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुन: ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥ २१ ॥
Verse text
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ
phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ
tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam
Synonyms
yat
—
that which
;
tu
—
but
;
prati-upakāra-artham
—
for the sake of getting some return
;
phalam
—
a result
;
uddiśya
—
desiring
;
vā
—
or
;
punaḥ
—
again
;
dīyate
—
is given
;
ca
—
also
;
parikliṣṭam
—
grudgingly
;
tat
—
that
;
dānam
—
charity
;
rājasam
—
in the mode of passion
;
smṛtam
—
is understood to be.
Translation
But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood is said to be charity in the mode of passion.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
21. That gift given with expectation of reciprocation, with desire for results, given unwillingly, is said to be rajasic.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
21. That gift given with expectation of reciprocation, or with desire for results in next life, or given unwillingly, is said to be rajasika.
Purport
Charity is sometimes performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom and sometimes with great trouble and with repentance afterwards: “Why have I spent so much in this way?” Charity is also sometimes given under some obligation, at the request of a superior. These kinds of charity are said to be given in the mode of passion.
There are many charitable foundations which offer their gifts to institutions where sense gratification goes on. Such charities are not recommended in the Vedic scripture. Only charity in the mode of goodness is recommended.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Parikliṣṭam (reluctance) means that one repents after giving the charity, thinking “Why is it necessary to give so much money?” Or it can mean that though not desiring to give, one gives charity only because the guru or someone else ordered him to do so. Or it can mean to use inauspicious items, since one did not do the charity willingly.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
The gift which is given with the aim of future attainment of svarga (phalam vā), or with the aim of some gift in return in the present life (praty upakārārtham), is charity in the mode of passion. Giving reluctantly (parikliṣṭam) means that one laments that one has to spend an amount that later will put one into difficulty, or that one gives only because of the order of guru.