17.20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥
dātavyam iti yad dānaṃ dīyate 'nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṃ sāttvikaṃ smṛtam
śrībhagavān (श्रीभगवान्) is still speaking. Gift is sorted, beginning with the clear strand.
The verse
The gift given with the thought "it is to be given," to one who will not pay it back, in the right place, at the right time, and to the worthy person, is remembered as the gift of सत्त्व.
नेपालीमा
दिनु नै हो भन्ने विचारले, फिर्ता नगर्नेलाई, उचित ठाउँमा, उचित समयमा र योग्य मानिसलाई दिइएको दान सत्त्वको दान भनी सम्झिन्छन्।
Where it sits
Austerity is finished. Gift takes the same three strands. The clear gift matches the clear sacrifice: a gerundive inside iti (इति), no return aimed at, and the circumstances right. 17.21 will give in order to be repaid. 17.22 will give in the wrong place, to the wrong people, with contempt.
Split: दातव्यम् + इति + यत् + दानम् + दीयते + अनुपकारिणे + देशे + काले + च + पात्रे + च + तत् + दानम् + सात्त्विकम् + स्मृतम्
dātavyam + iti + yat + dānam + dīyate + anupakāriṇe + deśe + kāle + ca + pātre + ca + tat + dānam + sāttvikam + smṛtam
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| देवनागरी | Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| दातव्यम् | dātavyam | nominative singular neuter | to be given. The gerundive of dā (दा). |
| इति | iti | indeclinable | thus. It quotes the thought, as iti (इति) quoted yaṣṭavyam (यष्टव्यम्) in 17.11. |
| यत् | yat | nominative singular neuter | which. |
| दानम् | dānam | nominative singular | the gift. |
| दीयते | dīyate | present passive, 3rd singular | is given. From dā (दा). |
| अनुपकारिणे | anupakāriṇe | dative singular | to one who does no favor in return. anupakārin (अनुपकारिन्). |
| देशे | deśe | locative singular | in the right place. |
| काले | kāle | locative singular | at the right time. |
| च | ca | indeclinable | and. |
| पात्रे | pātre | locative singular | in the worthy person. pātra (पात्र) is the fit recipient, a vessel. |
| च | ca | indeclinable | and. |
| तत् | tat | nominative singular neuter | that. |
| दानम् | dānam | nominative singular | gift. |
| सात्त्विकम् | sāttvikam | nominative singular neuter | of the clear strand. |
| स्मृतम् | smṛtam | nominative singular neuter | remembered, held in the tradition. From smṛ (स्मृ). |
The phrases
दातव्यम् इति यत् दानम् दीयते dātavyam iti yat dānam dīyate is the thought, parallel to the clear sacrifice. The gift which is given with "it is to be given." The giving itself is the reason named inside iti (इति).
anupakāriṇe (अनुपकारिणे) is who receives it. Someone who will not pay it back. The dative is the recipient. A return would put the gift in the next verse.
deśe kāle ca pātre ca (देशे काले च पात्रे च) is three locatives. In place, and in time, and in the worthy person. tat dānam sāttvikam smṛtam (तत् दानम् सात्त्विकम् स्मृतम्) is the memory of the tradition: that gift is the clear one.
Sanskrit in this line
दीयते + अनुपकारिणे dīyate + anupakāriṇe is recited dīyate 'nupakāriṇe (दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे). ए + अ e + a keeps the e (ए) and drops the a (अ). The ऽ is that dropped a (अ), the a (अ) of anupakāriṇe (अनुपकारिणे). A period in the romanized source is the same avagraha. The recipient still begins with anu (अनु) "not, in return," the reversing prefix on the favor.
Say it back
"To be given," to the one who will not repay, place, time, and vessel. If the recipient is someone who will pay it back, you have said 17.21. Stay here.