Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31
उच्चैः पाषाणयुक्ता च न समा नैव चोषरा । न नदीकूलविकटा भूमिर्देया कदाचन
uccaiḥ pāṣāṇayuktā ca na samā naiva coṣarā | na nadīkūlavikaṭā bhūmirdeyā kadācana
மிக உயர்ந்ததும், கற்கள் நிறைந்ததும், சமமற்றதும், உவர்நிலம்/உஷரமுமானதும், அல்லது ஆற்றங்கரையில் கடினமும் துன்பகரமுமான நிலமும்—இத்தகைய நிலத்தை ஒருபோதும் தானமாக அளிக்கக் கூடாது।
Unspecified in excerpt (within Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya narration)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A donor and priest examine a plot: elevated rocky ground, uneven saline patches, and a jagged riverbank; the priest gestures ‘na deyā’ while pointing to fertile alternative land.
FAQs
Charity must be responsible and beneficial; a gift that harms or is unusable undermines dharma.
The instruction is placed within Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, presenting righteous giving as part of Prabhāsa’s sacred code.
A dāna-vidhi rule for bhūmi-dāna: avoid gifting land that is barren, rocky, uneven, or otherwise unsuitable.