अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते ।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जो दान बिना सत्कारके तथा अवज्ञापूर्वक अयोग्य देश और कालमें कुपात्रको दिया जाता है, वह दान तामस कहा गया है ॥
English
Charity given at the wrong place and time, to an unworthy recipient, without respect and with contempt, is called tamasic.
What this verse means
A gift given at the wrong time and place, to the wrong person, without respect, is a low form of giving.
Context & commentary
Krishna is classifying kinds of charity for Arjuna on the battlefield, where every action reveals the state of the heart. After praise of pure and self-interested giving, he now names the lowest form: giving badly, to the wrong recipient, with disrespect.
Why this verse still matters
You hand someone cash while looking at your phone, hoping they go away. The act may look generous, but the attitude turns it cold.
The takeaway
Even generosity loses its value when it is careless or contemptuous.
Word-by-word translation
अदेशकाले (at an improper place and time) / यत् (which) / दानम् (gift / charity) / अपात्रेभ्यः (to unworthy recipients) / च (and) / दीयते (is given) / असत्कृतम् (without respect) / अवज्ञातम् (with contempt) / तत् (that) / तामसम् (tamasic) / उदाहृतम् (is said to be)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17: Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga — The Three Kinds of Faith, which contains 28 verses.