Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4
Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds
चण्डस्य पुत्रहीनस्य दम्भाचाररतस्य च । स्वकर्मत्यागिनश्चापि दत्तं भवति निष्फलम् ॥ ४ ॥
caṇḍasya putrahīnasya dambhācāraratasya ca | svakarmatyāginaścāpi dattaṃ bhavati niṣphalam || 4 ||
Dana menjadi sia-sia bila diberikan kepada orang kejam, yang tanpa putra, yang tenggelam dalam perilaku munafik, serta yang meninggalkan kewajiban dharmanya.
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Purva Bhaga dialogue framework)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa (disgust)
FAQs
It teaches that dāna (charity) is not merely an act of giving; its spiritual fruit depends on the moral and dharmic fitness of the recipient. Giving to cruel, hypocritical, or duty-abandoning persons is said to yield no merit.
Bhakti is aligned with purity and sincerity (śuddhi, ārjava). The verse warns against supporting hypocrisy and adharmic conduct, implying that offerings meant for dharma and devotion should be directed toward those who live truthfully and uphold righteous duties.
It reflects practical Dharma-śāstra reasoning used in ritual life: the “deśa-kāla-pātra” principle of dāna—especially pātra (worthiness of the recipient). This is applied in karmakāṇḍa decision-making even when not explicitly framed as a specific Vedāṅga.