Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18
चतुःप्रकारं त्रिविधं त्रिनाशं दानमुच्यते । इत्येकं श्लोकमाभाष्य खे वाणी विरराम ह
catuḥprakāraṃ trividhaṃ trināśaṃ dānamucyate | ityekaṃ ślokamābhāṣya khe vāṇī virarāma ha
« On dit que le dāna est de quatre sortes, triple, et marqué par trois “défaillances” qui en détruisent le mérite. » Ayant prononcé ce seul vers, la voix céleste se tut.
Khe-vāṇī (celestial voice)
Listener: Nārada
Scene: The sky-voice completes the teaching; the radiance withdraws, leaving the king and assembly in thoughtful silence, as if holding a riddle-like verse.
FAQs
Charity must be performed with discernment: it has recognized types and can be spiritually ‘destroyed’ by specific faults.
The narrative remains within a tīrtha setting; the verse itself is a universal dharma-teaching on dāna.
Guidance for dāna: know its classifications (four/three) and avoid the three merit-destroying factors (tri-nāśa).