Chapter 17 · Verse 22

Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्

adeśha-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaśh cha dīyate asat-kṛitam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛitam

Word Meanings

adeśha — at the wrong place; kāle — at the wrong time; yat — which; dānam — charity; apātrebhyaḥ — to unworthy persons; cha — and; dīyate — is given; asat-kṛitam — without respect; avajñātam — with contempt; tat — that; tāmasam — of the nature of nescience; udāhṛitam — is held to be

Language:

Translation

Charity given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy recipients, without respect and with contempt — that is declared to be tamasic.

Commentary

अदेशकाले at a wrong place and time? यत् which? दानम् gift? अपात्रेभ्यः to unworthy persons? च and? दीयते is given? असत्कृतम् without respect? अवज्ञातम् with insult? तत् that? तामसम् Tamasic? उदाहृतम् is declared to be.Commentary 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. Thus in order to show thee the real nature of purity? I have described the other two? so that laying them aside? and resorting to the highest thou mayest attain the goal? viz.? Moksha.