BG 17.20
दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥
dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ dīyate ’nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
Word-for-word meanings
dānam — charity; yat — which; dīyate — is given; dātavyam — as a matter of duty; anupakāriṇe — without any expectation of return; ca — and; iti — thus [in due consideration]; deśe — of the appropriate place; kāle — of the suitable time; ca — and; pātre — of the worthiness of the recipient; tat — that; dānam — charity; smṛtam — is considered; sāttvikam — to be of the nature of sattva.
Translation
Charity given as a matter of duty, without any expectation of return, and in due consideration of the appropriate place, the suitable time, and the worthiness of the recipient is considered to be of the nature of sattva.