Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11
दानपात्रमतिक्रम्य यदपात्रे प्रदीयते । तद्दत्तं गामतिक्रम्य गर्दभस्य गवाह्निकम्
dānapātramatikramya yadapātre pradīyate | taddattaṃ gāmatikramya gardabhasya gavāhnikam
দান-পাত্ৰক অতিক্ৰম কৰি যি অপাত্ৰত দিয়া হয়, সেই দান গাই এৰি গাধাক আহাৰ খুৱোৱাৰ দৰে—দুধ দিয়া গাইখন অৱহেলিত হৈ থাকে।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default)
Scene: A symbolic village scene: a cow calmly stands near a pious caretaker, while a donor mistakenly feeds a donkey; the cow’s milk pot remains empty—an allegory of misplaced charity.
FAQs
Charity must be guided by discernment; misdirected giving wastes spiritual and social value.
None; the emphasis is ethical instruction regarding dāna.
Do not bypass the worthy recipient (pātra) to give to the unworthy (apātra).