Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20
तस्माच्चक्षुष्मतो विद्वान्देशे देशे परीक्षयेत् । प्रश्रान्ये मम वक्ष्यंति तेभ्यो दास्याम्यहं ततः
tasmāccakṣuṣmato vidvāndeśe deśe parīkṣayet | praśrānye mama vakṣyaṃti tebhyo dāsyāmyahaṃ tataḥ
Ainsi, l’homme savant, doté d’un vrai discernement, doit examiner (les récipiendaires) de lieu en lieu. À ceux qui répondront à mes questions, à eux seuls je donnerai ensuite.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Scene: A traveler-scholar carries a staff and manuscript, stopping at successive āśramas; he questions sages seated under trees; only those who answer well receive gifts.
FAQs
Dāna should be guided by discernment—test and verify worthiness rather than giving blindly.
No specific site is named; “from place to place” is used to stress careful evaluation everywhere.
A practical rule for dāna: examine recipients and give after they demonstrate understanding through answers.