Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 101
अनर्हते यद्ददाति न ददाति तथार्हते । अर्हानर्हपरिज्ञानाद्दानधर्मो हि दुष्करः
anarhate yaddadāti na dadāti tathārhate | arhānarhaparijñānāddānadharmo hi duṣkaraḥ
When one gives to the unworthy and does not give to the worthy—because discerning the worthy from the unworthy is difficult—indeed the dharma of charity becomes hard to fulfill.
Nārada (continuing reflection; general dharma statement)
Scene: A contemplative donor stands at a crossroads: one path leads to a humble, worthy ascetic; the other to an ostentatious, unworthy claimant. A subtle aura indicates discernment as the central theme.
FAQs
Charity must be guided by discernment; giving wrongly can undermine the intended dharmic outcome.
None; it is an ethical guideline about recipients of dāna.
Choose proper recipients (pātra) and avoid misdirected giving; the verse frames this as a key challenge in dāna.