Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24
स दत्त्वा दुष्कृतं तस्मै पुण्यमादाय गच्छति । अपि वा शाकदानेन यद्वा तोयप्रदानतः । पूजयेत्तं नरः भक्त्या तेनैवातो विमुच्यते
sa dattvā duṣkṛtaṃ tasmai puṇyamādāya gacchati | api vā śākadānena yadvā toyapradānataḥ | pūjayettaṃ naraḥ bhaktyā tenaivāto vimucyate
Er geht fort, nimmt das Verdienst des Menschen mit sich und lässt dessen Schuld zurück. Darum soll man den Gast in Hingabe ehren—sei es durch die Gabe von Gemüse oder auch nur durch das Darbringen von Wasser—denn dadurch allein wird man von diesem Fehltritt befreit.
Parāśara (contextual: instruction on dharma to Yudhiṣṭhira)
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (implied)
Scene: A guest departs from a doorway; a stream of light (puṇya) follows the guest while a dark shadow (pāpa) remains at the house; then the scene reverses when the host offers water/greens with devotion.
FAQs
Neglecting a guest harms one’s spiritual merit; even small, sincere offerings sanctify the householder and avert blame.
No specific tīrtha is named; the verse teaches dharma applicable to all sacred landscapes and households.
Honor the guest with bhakti through dāna—at minimum vegetables or water.