Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 35
केशभारपरिभ्रष्टा काचिदेवासनोत्थिता । दातुकामा तदा भैक्ष्यं चेष्टितुं नैव चाशकत्
keśabhāraparibhraṣṭā kācidevāsanotthitā | dātukāmā tadā bhaikṣyaṃ ceṣṭituṃ naiva cāśakat
وقامت امرأةٌ من مجلسها وقد اضطرب شعرها وانفلت، وكانت تريد أن تعطي الصدقة، لكنها لم تستطع حينئذٍ حتى أن تتحرك على الوجه اللائق لتقديم طعام المتسوّل.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)
Tirtha: Dāruvana (narrative-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Bhārata
Scene: A woman rises abruptly, hair loosened, trying to offer bhikṣā to the mendicant; her hands falter mid-gesture, body tense with agitation; the mendicant remains tranquil, bowl extended.
FAQs
Good intentions (like dāna) fail when the mind is overpowered; purity of intention must be joined with steadiness and self-control.
The scene belongs to Daruvana within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative arc.
The act of giving bhikṣā (alms/food to a mendicant) is referenced, though not formally prescribed as a rule in this verse.