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17.21Krishna
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यत्तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं फलमुद्दिश्य वा पुनः ।दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं तद्दानं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥

yat tu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ |dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ tad dānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ||

यत् · yat
which
प्रत्युपकारार्थम् · pratyupakārārtham
for a return favor
फलम् · phalam
a reward
उद्दिश्य · uddiśya
aiming at
दीयते · dīyate
is given
परिक्लिष्टम् · parikliṣṭam
grudgingly, with pain
दानम् · dānam
gift
राजसम् · rājasam
passionate, of rajas
स्मृतम् · smṛtam
declared

But a gift given to win a return, or with an eye on its fruit, or grudgingly — that is declared passionate.

Original plain-language translation

Three corruptions of giving: expecting payback, bargaining for merit, and resenting the cost. The hand opens but the heart stays closed. Rajasic charity still helps the receiver — but it binds the giver.

Reader's notes (original)