Shloka
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे |
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ||१७-२०||Transliteration
dātavyamiti yaddānaṃ dīyate.anupakāriṇe .
deśe kāle ca pātre ca taddānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam ||17-20||Translations
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan
17.20. A gift which is given with the thought that ‘One must give’ and is given in a proper place, and at correct time to a worthy person, incapable of obliging in return-that gift is held to be of the Sattva.
Shri Purohit Swami
17.20 The gift which is given without thought of recompense, in the belief that it ought to be made, in a fit place, at an opportune time and to a deserving person - such a gift is Pure.
Sri Abhinav Gupta
17.20 See Comment under 17.22
Sri Ramanuja
17.20 Gifts given without thought of return of favours and with the feelings, ‘These gifts must be given,’ at the proper places and time to a worthy person who makes no return - such gifts are said to be Sattvika.
Sri Shankaracharya
17.20 Tat, that; danam, gift; is smrtam, referred to; as sattvikam, born of sattva; yat, which gift; is diyate, given; with the idea in mind datavyam iti, that it ought to be given without consideration; anupakarine, to one who will not serve in return, and even to oen who can; and dese, at the (proper) place-in holy places like Kuruksetra etc. ; kale, at the (proper) time-during Sankranti [During the passage of the sun or any planetary body from one zodiacal sign into another.-V.S.A.] etc.; and patre, to a (proper) person-to one who is versed in the Vedas together with their six branches, and such others.
Swami Adidevananda
17.20 Gifts given with the feeling, that it is one’s own duty to give to one who makes no return, at the proper place and time to the deserving person - that is said to be Sattvika.
Swami Gambirananda
17.20 That gift is referred to as born of sattva which gift is given with the idea that it ought to be given, to one who will not serve in return, and at the (proper) place, (proper) time and to a (proper) person.
Swami Sivananda
17.20 That gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to give in a fit place and time to a worthy person, that gift is held to be Sattvic.
Commentaries
Swami Sivananda
17.20 दातव्यम् ought to be given? इति thus? यत् that? दानम् gift? दीयते is given? अनुपकारिणे to one who does no service (in return)? देशे in a fit place? काले in time? च and? पात्रे to a worthy person? च and? तत् that? दानम् gift? सात्त्विकम् Sattvic? स्मृतम् is held to be.Commentary The gift should be given to one who cannot return the good or to one from whom no such return is expected.It is necessary to be in Kurukshetra or Varanasi or any part of the world that is eally sacred when one offes gifts. The time should be during solar or lunar eclips or an eally auspicious occasion.Worthy A pious person who is a Tapasvin? who is well versed in the scriptures (the Vedas and the,Vedangas)? who is able to protect himself and the donor? etc.At such a time and such a place there shoule be a person worthy to receive the gift? a person who is the very incarnation of purity? the very abode of good conduct. A gift may be freely given to such a highly deserving person. The donor should not boast of his charity.