Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 162
विना मंत्रैश्च यद्दत्तं न तद्गृह्णन्ति तेऽमलाः । श्रुतिरप्यत्र प्राहेदं मंत्राणां विषये नृप
vinā maṃtraiśca yaddattaṃ na tadgṛhṇanti te'malāḥ | śrutirapyatra prāhedaṃ maṃtrāṇāṃ viṣaye nṛpa
وما يُعطى بلا مَنترا لا يقبله أولئك الأطهار الذين لا دنس فيهم. بل إن الشروتي، وحي الفيدا، قد صرّح بهذا هنا، أيها الملك، في شأن ميدان المانترا.
Mahākāla (contextual)
Listener: King (nṛpa)
Scene: A calm instructional scene: a king seated respectfully before a fierce-yet-auspicious Mahākāla teacher; a dāna setting with vessels, kuśa, and ritual implements; emphasis on spoken mantra as luminous syllables.
FAQs
Ritual acts must be sanctified by mantra; tradition grounds this in śruti (Vedic authority).
No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is doctrinal about mantra and acceptance of gifts.
Do not give offerings/dāna without mantras; the pure recipients do not accept such gifts.