Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29
विधिहीनं तथाऽपात्रे यो ददाति प्रतिग्रहम् । न केवलं हि तद्याति शेषं तस्य च नश्यति
vidhihīnaṃ tathā'pātre yo dadāti pratigraham | na kevalaṃ hi tadyāti śeṣaṃ tasya ca naśyati
من يُعطي عطيةً بلا نظامٍ صحيح، وكذلك لغير المستحق، لا يفقد تلك العطية وحدها؛ بل يضمحلّ أيضًا ما بقي له من الفضل والمال.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A donor hastily gives to an unworthy recipient; the atmosphere turns somber as the gift is mishandled, symbolizing dissipation of merit; a wise elder gestures caution.
FAQs
Charity must be discerning and rule-guided; careless giving can destroy both the gift’s merit and one’s remaining spiritual/ethical capital.
The broader discourse is situated in Kāśī Khaṇḍa; the verse teaches universal dāna-dharma within Kāśī’s sanctifying narrative frame.
Avoid vidhihīna (ruleless) and apātra (unfit-recipient) dāna; ensure the recipient’s worthiness and the act’s correctness.