Dana — Giving rightly

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥

dātavyamiti yaddānaṁ dīyate’nupakāriṇe / deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam

Shri Bhagavan

Given because it ought to be given.

Dana given because giving is right, to someone who can return nothing, in the right place, at the right time and to a fit recipient, is held to be sattvic.

हिंदी · जो दान इसलिए दिया जाता है कि देना उचित है, ऐसे व्यक्ति को दिया जाता है जो बदले में कुछ नहीं दे सकता, और उचित स्थान, उचित समय तथा योग्य पात्र को दिया जाता है, वह सात्त्विक माना गया है।

The Trust’s reading · A gift given as a duty, to one who can make no return, at the right place and time and to a worthy person — that gift is called sattvic, pure.

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥

yattu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ / dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ taddānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam

Shri Bhagavan

Given for a return, or grudgingly.

But dana given to get something back, or with a result in view, or given grudgingly and with reluctance, is held to be rajasic.

हिंदी · परन्तु जो दान बदले में कुछ पाने के लिए, या किसी फल को ध्यान में रखकर दिया जाता है, अथवा मन में कष्ट लेकर अनिच्छा से दिया जाता है, वह राजसी माना गया है।

The Trust’s reading · But a gift given in hope of return, or for some reward, or given grudgingly — that gift is called rajasic.

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥

adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate / asatkṛtamavajñātaṁ tattāmasamudāhṛtam

Shri Bhagavan

Given carelessly, to the wrong person.

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।

The Trust’s reading · A gift given at the wrong place or time, to an unworthy recipient, without respect or with contempt — that is called tamasic.

तदित्यनभिसन्धाय फलं यज्ञतपःक्रियाः ।
दानक्रियाश्च विविधाः क्रियन्ते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः ॥

tadityanabhisandhāya phalaṁ yajñatapaḥkriyāḥ / dānakriyāśca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ

Shri Bhagavan

Sacrifice, austerity and charity, done without aiming at reward.

With the word Tat, and without aiming at any result, those who seek liberation carry out the acts of yajna and tapas, and dana of many kinds.

हिंदी · ‘तत्’ शब्द के साथ, फल की कोई इच्छा रखे बिना, मोक्ष चाहने वाले लोग यज्ञ और तप के कर्म तथा अनेक प्रकार के दान करते हैं।

The Trust’s reading · With the word tat, those who seek liberation perform sacrifice, austerity and acts of giving without any aim at what they will get from them. The act is complete in itself, not a transaction.

यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् ।
यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥

yajñadānatapaḥkarma na tyājyaṁ kāryameva tat / yajño dānaṁ tapaścaiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām

Shri Bhagavan

Sacrifice, giving and austerity are never to be given up.

The works of sacrifice, charity and austerity are not to be abandoned; they must indeed be performed, for sacrifice, charity and austerity are purifiers of the thoughtful.

हिंदी · यज्ञ, दान और तप रूपी कर्म त्यागने योग्य नहीं हैं, वे तो अवश्य करने चाहिए; क्योंकि यज्ञ, दान और तप मनीषियों को पवित्र करने वाले हैं।

The Trust’s reading · Acts of sacrifice, giving and austerity should not be abandoned; they must be done. For they purify even the wise.