Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75
इच्छासंस्थं च यद्दानं काम्यमित्यभिधीयते । कालापेक्षं क्रियापेक्षं गुणापेक्षमिति स्मृतौ
icchāsaṃsthaṃ ca yaddānaṃ kāmyamityabhidhīyate | kālāpekṣaṃ kriyāpekṣaṃ guṇāpekṣamiti smṛtau
Und jene Gabe, die auf persönlichem Verlangen beruht, wird „kāmya“ (wunschmotiviert) genannt. In der Smṛti heißt es, sie hänge von der Zeit, von der rechten Ausführung der Riten und von den Eigenschaften des Empfängers ab.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)
Scene: A donor consults an ācārya with a pañcāṅga; then performs a formal saṅkalpa and gives to a worthy recipient; three symbolic pillars labeled by objects: sundial/moon (kāla), ritual fire/spoon (kriyā), and a serene ascetic/learned person (guṇa).
FAQs
Desire-based charity is recognized, but it must be aligned with right timing, right method, and worthy recipients to be dharmically effective.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a dharma teaching about how gifts should be evaluated.
Kāmya-dāna should be performed with attention to appropriate time (kāla), correct ritual/action (kriyā), and the recipient’s virtues (guṇa).