Shloka 19
तमोगुण-निरूपण
Analysis of Tamas and its Marks
वृथारम्भा हि ये केचिद् वृथा दानानि यानि च । वृथा भक्षणमित्येतत् तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते
vṛthārambhā hi ye kecid vṛthā dānāni yāni ca | vṛthā bhakṣaṇam ity etat tāmasaṁ vṛttam iṣyate ||
风神婆由说道：“凡徒然兴作之事、徒然施与之赠、以及徒然进食——此等行径皆被视为昏暗性（tāmasa）。”就伦理而言，这是缺乏法度与敬信而行：如不顾时、地、受者而轻慢施舍，或未先敬奉神明与款待宾客便自食其食。因其缺少清明的用心与趋向法（dharma）的旨归，故被计为昏暗之行。
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Actions become tamasic when they are done ‘in vain’—without proper purpose, rule (vidhi), and reverence (śraddhā). Beginning projects heedlessly, giving charity without considering time/place/recipient, and eating without honoring the divine and guests are cited as examples of such deluded conduct.
Vāyudeva is instructing the listener on ethical classification of behavior by the guṇas, identifying certain careless forms of action, charity, and eating as tamasic because they disregard dharmic propriety and mindful intention.