Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 104
बालत्वेऽपि च सोऽश्राति यद्दत्तं दम्भकारणात् । दत्तमन्यायतो वित्तं वै चार्थकारणम्
bālatve'pi ca so'śrāti yaddattaṃ dambhakāraṇāt | dattamanyāyato vittaṃ vai cārthakāraṇam
பெருமை காட்டும் நோக்கில் தானம் செய்பவன் இளமையிலேயே அழிவுறுகிறான்; அநீதியாக ஈட்டிய செல்வத்தை உலகப் பயனுக்காகத் தானம் செய்தாலும் அதுவும் வீழ்ச்சியையே தரும்।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Scene: A wealthy donor performs a public donation with trumpets and onlookers, while a shadowy figure behind counts gains; the scene subtly shows the donor’s fall—cracked pedestal, wilting garlands—symbolizing ruin from hypocrisy and unjust wealth.
FAQs
Charity must be pure in motive; giving done for show or profit destroys merit and brings harm.
No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches general Purāṇic dharma about righteous giving.
It implicitly regulates dāna: avoid hypocritical giving and avoid giving wealth acquired through injustice.