Gita 17.22
Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते | असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||२२||
adeśa-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaś ca dīyate | asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛtam ||22||
In essence: The dark parody of giving: wrong time, wrong place, wrong recipient - topped with contempt and disrespect. Such 'charity' degrades both giver and receiver.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guruji, giving with contempt seems obviously wrong. Why would anyone do this?"
Guru: "It's more common than you think, often unconscious. The wealthy donor who writes checks but clearly despises the poor. The religious giver who feeds the hungry while considering them sinners deserving their fate. The helper who assists while communicating 'you should be ashamed to need this.' The contempt may not be spoken but is felt by the recipient. This is tamasic giving wearing the mask of charity."
Sadhak: "What about giving to 'wrong' recipients - doesn't that require judgment we're told not to make?"
Guru: "Apātra here means functionally inappropriate, not morally unworthy. Giving a knife to a suicidal person is apātra - the recipient cannot safely receive this gift. Giving money to someone who will immediately buy drugs is apātra - the gift enables harm. This isn't moral superiority but practical wisdom. We must discern consequences without judging souls."
Sadhak: "Can tamasic giving ever benefit the recipient even if spiritually harmful to the giver?"
Guru: "Materially, perhaps. Food given with contempt still nourishes the body. But the energetic wound of being treated with avajñā (contempt) may cause psychological harm that outlasts physical benefit. And for the giver, such 'charity' deepens ignorance and pride. No genuine good comes from tamasic giving - it would be better to not give and honestly acknowledge one's limitations than to give while degrading the receiver."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Set intention: 'Any giving today will be with genuine respect for the recipient.' Before giving anything - money, time, attention - check for subtle contempt or superiority. If you cannot give with respect, consider: Is this giving necessary? Can it be done differently?
Watch for unconscious disrespect in service situations. Notice attitude toward those you help - service staff, people asking for assistance, those receiving your charity. Is there subtle avajñā (looking down)? Practice seeing each recipient as a divine being temporarily in a difficult situation, deserving of the same respect you would want in their position.
Review any giving today. Were there moments of subtle contempt? Did you give to inappropriate recipients out of thoughtlessness? Did timing or context make gifts less effective? Without self-condemnation (that adds more tamas), simply resolve to bring more awareness. If you identified tamasic giving patterns, consider how to transform them - either by changing attitude or by finding different ways to contribute.