Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24
स दत्त्वा दुष्कृतं तस्मै पुण्यमादाय गच्छति । अपि वा शाकदानेन यद्वा तोयप्रदानतः । पूजयेत्तं नरः भक्त्या तेनैवातो विमुच्यते
sa dattvā duṣkṛtaṃ tasmai puṇyamādāya gacchati | api vā śākadānena yadvā toyapradānataḥ | pūjayettaṃ naraḥ bhaktyā tenaivāto vimucyate
เขาย่อมจากไปโดยนำบุญของผู้นั้นไป และทิ้งบาปกรรมไว้แก่ผู้นั้น ดังนั้นมนุษย์พึงบูชาอทิถิด้วยภักติ แม้เพียงถวายผัก หรือแม้เพียงมอบน้ำดื่ม ด้วยสิ่งนั้นเองย่อมพ้นจากโทษนี้
Parāśara (contextual: instruction on dharma to Yudhiṣṭhira)
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (implied)
Scene: A guest departs from a doorway; a stream of light (puṇya) follows the guest while a dark shadow (pāpa) remains at the house; then the scene reverses when the host offers water/greens with devotion.
FAQs
Neglecting a guest harms one’s spiritual merit; even small, sincere offerings sanctify the householder and avert blame.
No specific tīrtha is named; the verse teaches dharma applicable to all sacred landscapes and households.
Honor the guest with bhakti through dāna—at minimum vegetables or water.