Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4
यथा षण्ढोऽफलः स्त्रीषु यथा गौर्गवि चाफला । यथा चाज्ञेऽफलं दानं तथा विप्रोऽनृचोऽफलः
yathā ṣaṇḍho'phalaḥ strīṣu yathā gaurgavi cāphalā | yathā cājñe'phalaṃ dānaṃ tathā vipro'nṛco'phalaḥ
«De même qu’un homme stérile est sans fruit auprès des femmes, qu’une vache est sans fruit avec une autre vache, et qu’un don fait à l’ignorant ne porte pas de fruit, ainsi le “brahmane” sans récitation védique est sans fruit comme récipiendaire.»
Īśvara (Śiva)
Scene: A didactic tableau of three ‘fruitless’ pairings culminating in the warning: a brāhmaṇa without ṛc is an unfruitful recipient; the emphasis is on discernment, not ridicule.
FAQs
Merit (phala) arises when sacred acts are aligned with qualification; giving without discernment can become spiritually unproductive.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse focuses on dharmic standards for ritual giving.
It cautions that dāna (and by extension śrāddha offerings) should not be directed to an unlearned, non-Veda-reciting ‘vipra’ if one seeks phala.