दातव्यम इति यद दानं दीयते ऽनुपकारिणे देशे काले च पात्रे च तद दानं सात्त्विकं समृतम
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate ’nupakāriṇe deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
WORD BY WORD — PALAVRA POR PALAVRA
dātavyam
worth giving
iti
thus
yat
that which
dānam
charity
dīyate
is given
anupakāriṇe
irrespective of return
deśe
in a proper place
kāle
at a proper time
ca
also
pātre
to a suitable person
ca
and
tat
that
dānam
charity
sāttvikam
in the mode of goodness
smṛtam
is considered
TRANSLATION — TRADUÇÃO
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 — SIGNIFICADO
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 brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava (devotee) 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.
