Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11
दानपात्रमतिक्रम्य यदपात्रे प्रदीयते । तद्दत्तं गामतिक्रम्य गर्दभस्य गवाह्निकम्
dānapātramatikramya yadapātre pradīyate | taddattaṃ gāmatikramya gardabhasya gavāhnikam
То, что дают недостойному, минуя истинный сосуд дара, подобно тому, как кормят осла, пренебрегая коровой, дающей молоко.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default)
Scene: A symbolic village scene: a cow calmly stands near a pious caretaker, while a donor mistakenly feeds a donkey; the cow’s milk pot remains empty—an allegory of misplaced charity.
FAQs
Charity must be guided by discernment; misdirected giving wastes spiritual and social value.
None; the emphasis is ethical instruction regarding dāna.
Do not bypass the worthy recipient (pātra) to give to the unworthy (apātra).