17.22 Given with contempt Krishna speaks

अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्

adeśha-kāle yad dānam apātrebhyaśh cha dīyate
asat-kṛitam avajñātaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛitam

A gift given at the wrong place and time, to unworthy people, without regard and with contempt, is said to be of inertia.

Explanation

And the lowest grade of giving is about manner.

Wrong place, wrong time, unworthy recipients — and then: without regard, with contempt.

The gift is still made. What makes it the lowest kind is not that it fails to help but that it is delivered in a way that humiliates, which no amount of generosity in the amount can correct.

Word by word

adeśha: at the wrong place
kāle: at the wrong time
yat: which
dānam: charity
apātrebhyaḥ: to unworthy persons
cha: and
dīyate: is given
asat-kṛitam: without respect
avajñātam: with contempt
tat: that
tāmasam: of the nature of nescience
udāhṛitam: is held to be