Chapter 17 · The three kinds of faith
Bhagavad Gita 17.22
Given carelessly, to the wrong person.
Shri Bhagavan
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate / asatkṛtamavajñātaṁ tattāmasamudāhṛtam
Dana given at the wrong place and time, to people who are not fit to receive it, without courtesy and with contempt for the person receiving it, is said to be tamasic.
हिंदी · जो दान अनुचित स्थान और अनुचित समय पर, अयोग्य पात्रों को, बिना आदर के और लेने वाले का तिरस्कार करते हुए दिया जाता है, वह तामसी कहा गया है।
What it means
Given carelessly, to the wrong person.
A gift given at the wrong place or time, to an unworthy recipient, without respect or with contempt — that is called tamasic.
This is the Trust’s own reading, written for this site. The verse above it is the text.
Verses that share its vocabulary
Near it in the text’s own words.
- 8.28The yogi who knows all this passes beyond whatever merit is laid down for the Vedas, for sacrifices, for austerities and for gifts, and reaches the supreme and original abode.
- 10.5Non-violence, evenness of mind, contentment, austerity, giving, fame and disgrace: these many different states of living beings arise from me alone.
- 11.48Not by study of the Vedas or by sacrifice, not by gifts, not by rituals, not by harsh austerities can I be seen in this form in the world of men by anyone but you, great warrior of the Kurus.
- 11.53Not by the Vedas, not by austerity, not by giving, not by sacrifice can I be seen in the form in which you have just now seen me.
- 16.1Fearlessness, a clean and settled mind, steadiness in knowledge and in yoga, giving, restraint of the senses, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, and being straight with people.
- 17.7Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, and so are yajna, tapas and dana. Listen now to how they differ from one another.
Chosen by shared uncommon vocabulary, weighted so that a rare word counts for far more than a common one. A reading aid, not a claim that these verses mean the same thing.