Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20
तस्माच्चक्षुष्मतो विद्वान्देशे देशे परीक्षयेत् । प्रश्रान्ये मम वक्ष्यंति तेभ्यो दास्याम्यहं ततः
tasmāccakṣuṣmato vidvāndeśe deśe parīkṣayet | praśrānye mama vakṣyaṃti tebhyo dāsyāmyahaṃ tataḥ
Oleh itu, orang berilmu yang bermata kebijaksanaan hendaklah menilai (penerima) dari satu tempat ke satu tempat. Mereka yang menjawab pertanyaanku—kepada merekalah aku akan memberi sesudah itu.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Scene: A traveler-scholar carries a staff and manuscript, stopping at successive āśramas; he questions sages seated under trees; only those who answer well receive gifts.
FAQs
Dāna should be guided by discernment—test and verify worthiness rather than giving blindly.
No specific site is named; “from place to place” is used to stress careful evaluation everywhere.
A practical rule for dāna: examine recipients and give after they demonstrate understanding through answers.