Bhagavad Gita -Srila Prabhupada 672

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is -Shri Shrimad A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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The Divisions of Faith
Chapter 17: Verse- 20

dätavyam iti yad dänam diyate ’nupakärine
dese käle ca pätre ca tad dänam sättvikam smrtam[1]

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.


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 brähmana or a Vaisnava[2]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.

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References

  1. dätavyam=worth giving; iti=thus; yat=that which; dänam=charity; diyate=is given; anupakärine=irrespective of return; dese=in a proper place; käle=at a proper time; ca=also; pätre=to a suitable person; ca=and;
    tat=that; dänam=charity; sättvikam=in the mode of goodness; smrtam=is considered.
  2. devotee

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