Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75
इच्छासंस्थं च यद्दानं काम्यमित्यभिधीयते । कालापेक्षं क्रियापेक्षं गुणापेक्षमिति स्मृतौ
icchāsaṃsthaṃ ca yaddānaṃ kāmyamityabhidhīyate | kālāpekṣaṃ kriyāpekṣaṃ guṇāpekṣamiti smṛtau
जो दान अपनी इच्छा (कामना) पर आधारित हो, वह ‘काम्य’ कहलाता है। स्मृति में उसे काल-अपेक्ष, विधि-क्रिया-अपेक्ष और पात्र-गुण-अपेक्ष बताया गया है।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)
Scene: A donor consults an ācārya with a pañcāṅga; then performs a formal saṅkalpa and gives to a worthy recipient; three symbolic pillars labeled by objects: sundial/moon (kāla), ritual fire/spoon (kriyā), and a serene ascetic/learned person (guṇa).
FAQs
Desire-based charity is recognized, but it must be aligned with right timing, right method, and worthy recipients to be dharmically effective.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a dharma teaching about how gifts should be evaluated.
Kāmya-dāna should be performed with attention to appropriate time (kāla), correct ritual/action (kriyā), and the recipient’s virtues (guṇa).