Bhagavad Gita BG 17.21
Chapter 17, Verse 21 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः । दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥
yat tu pratyupakara-artham phalam uddishya va punah diyate ca pariklishtam tad danam rajasam smrtam
Meaning
But a gift given for the sake of something in return, or with an eye to its fruit, or given reluctantly — that gift is held to be rajasic.
Understanding
After describing sattvic giving (17.20), Krishna names the rajasic kind. Its marks: a gift made to get something back (pratyupakara), or aimed at some fruit (phala), or given grudgingly (pariklishtam). The gift may look generous, but the giver is trading, so it is rajasic. Tamasic giving follows in 17.22.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| यत् | yat | which |
| तु | tu | but |
| प्रत्युपकारार्थम् | pratyupakara-artham | for the sake of a favor in return |
| फलम् | phalam | fruit, reward |
| उद्दिश्य | uddishya | aiming at |
| वा | va | or |
| पुनः | punah | again, further |
| दीयते | diyate | is given |
| च | ca | and |
| परिक्लिष्टम् | pariklishtam | grudgingly, with reluctance |
| तत् | tat | that |
| दानम् | danam | gift |
| राजसम् | rajasam | rajasic |
| स्मृतम् | smrtam | is held, is remembered as |