Verse 17.20

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 17.20:

दातव्यम् इति यद् दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद् दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥ २० ॥

dātavyam iti yad dānaṃ dīyate'nupakāriṇe |
deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam || 20 ||

dātavyam–should be given; iti–determining thus; yat–which; dānam–charity; dīyate–is given; anupakāriṇe–to one who cannot give in return; deśe–at a proper place such as a holy place; kāle–at an auspicious time; ca–and; pātre–to a worthy recipient; ca–and; tat–that; dānam–giving of charity; sāttvikam–in the quality of goodness; smṛtam–is said to be.

“Charity is to be given to one who cannot return it, at a holy place, at an auspicious time and to a worthy person.” Charity given with this resolve is considered to be governed by the quality of goodness.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

The word dātavyam means ‘determining the qualified recipient of charity and giving it at the proper time’. Charity given with expectation of some return is not charity.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

In the present verse, Śrī Bhagavān explains the three types of charity. He says that charity is in the mode of goodness if it is given out of duty, without expectation of any reward, to a person who is selfless and who never performs activities for his own welfare, or to one who does not have the ability to perform welfare to others. In this regard, it is also necessary to consider the proper time, place and person.