Chapter 17, Verse 21
Part of 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog — श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोगयत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्॥
Transliteration
yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalam uddiśhya vā punaḥ dīyate cha parikliṣhṭaṁ tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛitam
Meaning
And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.
Word-by-word meaning
yat — whichtu — butprati-upakāra-artham — with the hope of a returnphalam — rewarduddiśhya — expectationvā — orpunaḥ — againdīyate — is givencha — andparikliṣhṭam — reluctantlytat — thatdānam — charityrājasam — in the mode of passionsmṛitam — is said to be
Commentary
Charity or gift that is given in the hope that it will be returned in the future and praised in public or that the gift will bring some unseen reward or heavenly pleasure is passionate. If a man makes a gift to a Brahmana or a Sannyasin with the hope that all his sins will be washed away, this is also a Rajasic gift. If a man is grieved at heart after making the gift this is also a gift of passionate nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, Verse 21?▼
And, that gift which is given with the intention of receiving something in return, or expecting a reward, or begrudgingly, is considered to be Rajasic.
Which chapter and verse of the Bhagavad Gita is this?▼
This is verse 21 of Chapter 17 (Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāg Yog — Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith) of the Bhagavad Gita, a scripture of 18 chapters and 700 verses spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.