Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingअदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्
adeśha-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaśh cha dīyate
asat-kṛitam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
Anuṣṭubh(!!) irregular in source
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaThe gift which is made at an inappropriate place and time, and to undeserving persons, without proper respect and with disdain, is declared to be born of tamas.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
जो दान बिना सत्कार किये, अथवा तिरस्कारपूर्वक, अयोग्य देशकाल में, कुपात्रों के लिए दिया जाता है, वह दान तामस माना गया है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiअदेश काले यद् दानम् (!!)
अपात्रेभ् यश् च दीयते
असत् कृतम वज्ञातम्
तत् तामस मुदा हृतम्
॥ २२ ॥
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
padārthaadeśhaat the wrong place
kāleat the wrong time
yatwhich
dānamcharity
apātrebhyaḥto unworthy persons
chaand
dīyateis given
asat-kṛitamwithout respect
avajñātamwith contempt
tatthat
tāmasamof the nature of nescience
udāhṛitamis held to be
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA17.22What gift is tāmasika — given how, and to whom?
The gift which is made at an inappropriate place and time, and to undeserving persons, without proper respect and with disdain, is declared to be born of tamas.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.