Gift

Srimad Bhagavad Gita Seventeenth Chapter 17-22 adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate asatkṛtamavajñātaṁ tattāmasamudāhṛtam The gift that is given at an improper place and time, to an unworthy person, without respect or with contempt, is held to be Tāmasic (of the mode of ignorance). Comment: In the scriptures, it is said that in Kaliyuga (Iron age), offering charity is the only 'Dharma' (righteousness)-- 'danekam kalau yuge' (Manusmirti 1/86, Mahabharata Maha.Sh. 231/28', Skanda Pur. Nagar 51/67), Padma Pur.18/441 etc.). Therefore, charity given in any which way, leads to one's spiritual welfare--. pragata chari pada dharam ke kali mahu eka pradhana, jena kena bidhi dineh dana karai kalyana (Manas, 7/103 kha). It means that in Kaliyuga, performance of virtuous actions such as sacrifice, charity, penance and vows (fast) etc., according to the ordinance of the scriptures, is difficult; therefore a person should somehow or other develop a habit to give charity, to renounce. In the Gita wherever the distinction is made between the three modes of nature-- Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic, Sattvic mode should be chosen because it leads to salvation-- 'daivī sampadvimokṣāya' and Rajasic and Tamasic modes have to be abandoned; because they result in bondage -- 'nibandhāyāsurī matā' (Gita: 16/5). From Gita Prabodhini by Swami Ramsukhdasji -----------------------------------------