Giving Without A Bargain — Bhagavad Gita 17.20

A gift given because it is right to give, to one who cannot repay it, at the proper place and time and to a fitting person, is called a sattvika gift: pure and steady.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे । देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ॥

datavyam iti yad danam diyate ’nupakarine | deshe kale ca patre ca tad danam sattvikam smritam ||
How to say it: daa-TAV-yam i-ti yad DAA-nam, dee-YA-te nu-pa-kaa-RI-ne. DE-she KAA-le cha PAA-tre cha, tad DAA-nam saat-TVI-kam SMRI-tam.

A gift given because it is right to give, to one who cannot repay it, at the proper place and time and to a fitting person, is called a sattvika gift: pure and steady.

Krishna distinguishes three kinds of giving by motive. Giving that expects a return, or is given grudgingly, is lower; giving as duty, without a bargain, is sattvika . A gift of knowledge sold for a price is by definition a transaction and not a gift. This book tries to be the other thing.