Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingदातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate ‘nupakāriṇe
deśhe kāle cha pātre cha tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛitam
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaThat gift is referred to as born of sattva which is given with the idea that it should be given, to one who will not serve in return, at the right place, right time, and to the right person.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
"दान देना ही कर्तव्य है" - इस भाव से जो दान योग्य देश, काल को देखकर ऐसे (योग्य) पात्र (व्यक्ति) को दिया जाता है, जिससे प्रत्युपकार की अपेक्षा नहीं होती है, वह दान सात्त्विक माना गया है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiदातव् यमिति यद् दानम्
दीयतेऽ नुपका रिणे
देशे काले च पात्रे च
तद् दानम् सात् त्विकम् स्मृतम्
॥ २० ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthadātavyamworthy of charity
itithus
yatwhich
dānamcharity
dīyateis given
anupakāriṇeto one who cannot give in return
deśhein the proper place
kāleat the proper time
chaand
pātreto a worthy person
chaand
tatthat
dānamcharity
sāttvikamin the mode of goodness
smṛitamis stated to be
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA17.20What gift is sāttvika — given where, when, and to whom?
That gift is referred to as born of sattva which is given with the idea that it should be given, to one who will not serve in return, at the right place, right time, and to the right person.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.