Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13
विधिहीने तथाऽपात्रे यो ददाति प्रतिग्रहम् । न केवलं हि तद्याति शेषं पुण्यं प्रणश्यति
vidhihīne tathā'pātre yo dadāti pratigraham | na kevalaṃ hi tadyāti śeṣaṃ puṇyaṃ praṇaśyati
যে ব্যক্তি বিধিহীন ও অপাত্রকে দান করে, তার কেবল সেই দানের পুণ্যই নষ্ট হয় না; অবশিষ্ট সঞ্চিত পুণ্যও বিনষ্ট হয়ে যায়।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default)
Scene: A pilgrim offers a gift; a shadowy, unworthy receiver reaches out, while a luminous store of merit (puṇya) visibly drains away—symbolizing puṇya-kṣaya from apātra-dāna.
FAQs
Dāna must follow dharmic procedure and proper eligibility; otherwise it can be spiritually harmful.
None; it is a general dharma principle about safeguarding puṇya.
Give only with vidhi and to a qualified recipient; avoid apātra-pratigraha contexts.