Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11
दीनांधकृपणानां च पथिश्रममुपेयुषाम् । तीर्थयात्रापराणां च यो यच्छति सदाऽशनम् । काले वा यदि वाऽकाले नरकं न स पश्यति
dīnāṃdhakṛpaṇānāṃ ca pathiśramamupeyuṣām | tīrthayātrāparāṇāṃ ca yo yacchati sadā'śanam | kāle vā yadi vā'kāle narakaṃ na sa paśyati
ദീനർ, അന്ധർ, ദരിദ്രർ, വഴിശ്രമം കൊണ്ടു ക്ഷീണിച്ചവർ, തീർത്ഥയാത്രയിൽ നിരതർ—ഇവർക്കു എപ്പോഴും സമയത്തോ അസമയത്തോ അന്നം ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ നരകം കാണുകയില്ല।
Bhīṣma
Scene: A pilgrim road near a tīrtha: weary travelers with staffs and waterpots are welcomed; a householder distributes steaming food to the poor, blind, and destitute; the act is shown as a protective merit against hell.
FAQs
Anna-dāna and compassionate service—especially to pilgrims and the vulnerable—are exalted as direct causes of spiritual uplift and protection from hell.
No single site is specified; the verse glorifies tīrtha-yātrā culture itself and service to pilgrims.
Regular giving of food (anna-dāna) to the needy, travelers, and tīrtha-pilgrims, regardless of time.