Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13
विधिहीने तथाऽपात्रे यो ददाति प्रतिग्रहम् । न केवलं हि तद्याति शेषं पुण्यं प्रणश्यति
vidhihīne tathā'pātre yo dadāti pratigraham | na kevalaṃ hi tadyāti śeṣaṃ puṇyaṃ praṇaśyati
जो विधि-रहित और अपात्र व्यक्ति को दान देता है, उसका केवल उस दान का पुण्य ही नहीं नष्ट होता, बल्कि शेष संचित पुण्य भी विनष्ट हो जाता है।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default)
Scene: A pilgrim offers a gift; a shadowy, unworthy receiver reaches out, while a luminous store of merit (puṇya) visibly drains away—symbolizing puṇya-kṣaya from apātra-dāna.
FAQs
Dāna must follow dharmic procedure and proper eligibility; otherwise it can be spiritually harmful.
None; it is a general dharma principle about safeguarding puṇya.
Give only with vidhi and to a qualified recipient; avoid apātra-pratigraha contexts.