### Bg 17.20

> दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।\
> देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥२०॥

> dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ\
> dīyate 'nupakāriṇe\
> deśe kāle ca pātre ca\
> tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam

*dātavyam*—worth giving; *iti*—thus; *yat*—that which; *dānam*—charity; *dīyate*—given; *anupakāriṇe*—to any person irrespective of doing good; *dese*—in place; *kāle*—in time; *ca*—also; *pātre*—suitable person; *ca*—and; *tat*—that; *dānam*—charity; *sāttvikam*—in the mode of goodness; *smṛtam*—consider.

**That gift which is given out of duty, at the proper time and place, to a worthy person, and without expectation of return, is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness.**

In the Vedic literature, charity given to a person engaged in spiritual activities is recommended. There is no recommendation for giving charity indiscriminately. Spiritual perfection is always a consideration. Therefore charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified *brāhmaṇa* or a Vaiṣṇava (devotee) or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. Charity to the poor is sometimes given out of compassion, but if a poor man is not worth giving charity to, then there is no spiritual advancement. In other words, indiscriminate charity is not recommended in the Vedic literature.