Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 17, verse 21 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 17.21 · Yattu Pratyupakarartham
यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥
yattu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ |
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ taddānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ||
Translation
But a gift given in expectation of something in return, or with a reward in view, or given grudgingly — that gift is held to be rajasic.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga — “The Three Kinds of Faith”, which has 28 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 17.21 mean?
But a gift given in expectation of something in return, or with a reward in view, or given grudgingly — that gift is held to be rajasic.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 17.21?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga (The Three Kinds of Faith).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.