Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 17, Verse 22

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते । असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्

adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate | asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam

Translation

The gift that is given at a wrong place or time, to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, that is declared to be Tāmasic.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

adeśakāle

not, in right place, and, in (right) time, and

yat

that

dānam

gift

apātrebhyaḥ

to unfit persons

ca

and

dīyate

is given

asatkṛtam

unhonoured

avajñātam

contemned

tat

that

tāmasam

tāmasic

udāhṛtam

is called

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

At a wrong place and time: at a place which is not sacred and which is associated with mlecchas (non-Aryans), with unholy things and the like, and at a time which is not auspicious. Unworthy persons: such as fools or rogues. Without respect: without agreeable speech, without the washing of feet, or without worship, though the gift be made in proper time and place.