Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 49
दीयमानं तु विप्राणां गोषु विप्रातुरेषु च । मा देहीति प्रजल्पन्तस्ते च प्रेता भवंति च
dīyamānaṃ tu viprāṇāṃ goṣu viprātureṣu ca | mā dehīti prajalpantaste ca pretā bhavaṃti ca
Quand on fait des dons aux brāhmanes—ou pour les vaches, ou pour soutenir des brāhmanes malades—ceux qui protestent en disant : « Ne donnez pas ! » deviennent eux aussi des pretas.
Preta(s) (as narrators/instructors within the episode)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A donor offers gifts to brāhmaṇas and for cow-care and medical aid; a heckler shouts ‘mā dehi’; behind him a preta-shadow forms, while the donor’s act radiates light.
FAQs
Obstructing or discouraging righteous charity—especially toward brāhmaṇas, cows, and the needy—is condemned as a serious moral fault.
The instruction is framed within Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya, emphasizing dharmic conduct for pilgrims and residents.
Encourage and support dāna (charitable giving), particularly to brāhmaṇas, cow-welfare, and aid to the sick.