Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 71
सद्भ्यो यद्दीयते किंचित्तत्परत्रोपतिष्ठति । असत्सु दीयते किंचित्तद्दानमिह भुज्यते
sadbhyo yaddīyate kiṃcittatparatropatiṣṭhati | asatsu dīyate kiṃcittaddānamiha bhujyate
สิ่งใดเล่าที่ถวายแก่คนดี ย่อมตั้งมั่นเป็นบุญในปรโลก แต่สิ่งใดที่ให้แก่ผู้ไม่สมควร ทานนั้นย่อมถูกเสวยในโลกนี้เอง—ผลตอบแทนเป็นเพียงทางโลก
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Scene: A pilgrim at a sacred precinct offers alms to a serene, disciplined ascetic/learned brāhmaṇa; beside him, a contrasting figure of unworthy conduct receives and immediately squanders gifts—illustrating ‘paratra’ vs ‘iha’ fruit.
FAQs
The recipient matters: gifts to the virtuous become lasting merit, while gifts to the unworthy exhaust their fruit in this life.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse teaches discernment in dāna.
It prescribes choosing ‘sad’ recipients for charity to secure paratra-phala (otherworldly merit).