Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4
यथा षण्ढोऽफलः स्त्रीषु यथा गौर्गवि चाफला । यथा चाज्ञेऽफलं दानं तथा विप्रोऽनृचोऽफलः
yathā ṣaṇḍho'phalaḥ strīṣu yathā gaurgavi cāphalā | yathā cājñe'phalaṃ dānaṃ tathā vipro'nṛco'phalaḥ
Seperti lelaki mandul tidak berbuah bersama wanita, seperti lembu tidak berbuah dengan sesama lembu, dan seperti sedekah kepada orang jahil tidak menghasilkan pahala—demikianlah ‘Brahmana’ tanpa bacaan Veda adalah tidak berbuah.
Īśvara (Śiva)
Scene: A didactic tableau of three ‘fruitless’ pairings culminating in the warning: a brāhmaṇa without ṛc is an unfruitful recipient; the emphasis is on discernment, not ridicule.
FAQs
Merit (phala) arises when sacred acts are aligned with qualification; giving without discernment can become spiritually unproductive.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse focuses on dharmic standards for ritual giving.
It cautions that dāna (and by extension śrāddha offerings) should not be directed to an unlearned, non-Veda-reciting ‘vipra’ if one seeks phala.