Verse-21
Chapter 17 — Shraddhatreya Vibhag Yoga
Verse 21
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
yattu pratyupakārārthaṁ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ch parikliṣṭaṁ taddānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam
🕉 English Translation
Diya daan par iccha lene ki ho,
Diya jaye phal samane rakhke jo.
Jo dete huye kashta mann ka huaa,
Rajoguna isee daan ko hai kaha.
📜 Translation
English
But the charity which is given grudgingly with a view to receiving return and is done with an eye on fruits is called the charity of rajasic nature.
To be of help to others, to utilize God-given resources for the benefit of others-this is humanity in true sense and being a human being this is my duty too. Charity given with this attitude, is the true and best form of charity. But to think of one's own self-interest before giving charity-I will derive this benefit out of it, my status will rise, I will get name, people will consider me to be a very wealthy and philanthropic person-charity given in this spirit will earn fame in this world, but one will not get the actual and true benefit out of it. In the inspiration of the Gita it has been given the title of rajasic charity.
With donation is associated not desirelessness, but desire is at the forefront. Desirelessness is the glory of spirituality, the benefit which can be derived from it, one cannot even imagine it to exist in the state of craving. Whenever we associate desire with any object or any object of desire then we tend to bind ourselves in narrowness; we are dwarfed. The spirit of desirelessness can in essence give us the absolute benefit of supreme peace but if we harbour worldly or other worldly desire from the beginning we cannot move beyond it; keep it in mind. Save yourself from motivated activities. Along with this, in this kind of charity there arises a grave situation! Donation is given but accompanied by mental discomfiture or grudge. There is no happiness while giving. Under compulsion or adamantly or under the pressure of any circumstance charity may have been given, but by harbouring irritation and anguish inside! Try to make yourself understand-that when you are in any case giving or have to give, then why not accept it as the divine will and perform it in His spirit with a happy mind?