Upanishads · Jābāladarśana 2.7
॥
Devanāgarī
न्यायार्जितधनं श्रान्ते श्रद्धया वैदिके जने । अन्यद्वा यत्प्रदीयन्ते तद्दानं प्रोच्यते मया
Transliteration (IAST)
nyāyārjitadhanaṃ śrānte śraddhayā vaidike jane | anyadvā yatpradīyante taddānaṃ procyate mayā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न्याय-अर्जित-धनं श्रान्तेnyāya-arjita-dhanaṃ śrānterighteously earned wealth, to the weary
श्रद्धया वैदिके जनेśraddhayā vaidike janewith faith, to a Vedic person
अन्यत् वा यत् प्रदीयतेanyat vā yat pradīyateor whatever else is given
तत् दानं प्रोच्यते मयाtat dānaṃ procyate mayāthat is called by me charity
Translation
"Righteously earned wealth, given with faith to a weary Vedic person, or whatever else is given, — that is called by me charity."
Version
9d106bebee1c · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
In the definition of charity there are two conditions, and both deserve noting. The first: nyaya-arjita-dhana, "wealth righteously earned." Not every giving is charity: what is given from what was plundered does not count.
This condition rarely appears in codes of conduct, and yet it is decisive. The custom of buying off one's conscience with generosity is as old as the world, and anyone who has profited dishonestly readily builds temples; here this loophole is closed from the outset. The second condition: shraddhaya, "with faith." The Taittiriya speaks of this same thing in its famous parting instruction to the graduate: shraddhaya deyam, ashraddhaya'deyam, "give with faith, do not give without faith" (1.11.3), and adds: shriya deyam, hriya deyam, bhiya deyam, samvida deyam — "give with dignity, give with modesty, give with fear, give with understanding."
This list deserves examination, for it is unexpectedly subtle. "With modesty" means: not condescendingly, ashamed that you have what he lacks. "With fear" — with the apprehension of giving offense. "With understanding" — knowing to whom and for what.
The Vaishnava side adds to this its own distinction by gunas, set out by the Gita in three verses. Sattvic charity is given "to a worthy person, in the proper place and time, to one from whom no return favor is expected." Rajasic — given for the sake of a return or a fruit, "reluctantly." Tamasic — given "in an unfit place and time, to an unworthy person, without respect and with contempt" (17.20–22).
This last description deserves remembering, for it applies to the most common case of all. To give with contempt, turning away to be rid of the matter — this is, by the Gita's reckoning, no small good deed, but a bad one; and moral instinct will agree with this in anyone who has ever received alms given this way.