Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Verse 21
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 17 श्लोक 21

यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम्।।17.21।।



English Translation - Swami Sivananda
17.21 And, that gift which is given with a view to receive something in return, or looking for a reward, or reluctantly, is held to be Rajasic.


English Commentary  - Swami Sivananda
17.21 यत् which? तु indeed? प्रत्युपकारार्थम् with a view to receive in return? फलम् fruit? उद्दिश्य looking for? वा or? पुनः again? दीयते is given? च and? परिक्लिष्टम् reluctantly? तत् that? दानम् gift? राजसम् Rajasic? स्मृतम् is held 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.


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 17.21Yattu pratyupakaaraartham phalamuddishya vaa punah;
Deeyate cha pariklishtam taddaanam raajasam smritam.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 17.21yat—which; tu—but; prati-upakāra-artham—with the hope of a return; phalam—reward; uddiśhya—expectation; vā—or; punaḥ—again; dīyate—is given; cha—and; parikliṣhṭam—reluctantly; tat—that; dānam—charity; rājasam—in the mode of passion; smṛitam—is said to be