Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35
श्रद्धया परया पार्थ द्विजेभ्यः संप्रयच्छति । शतकोटिगुणं पुण्यं कोटितीर्थप्रभावतः । कोटितीर्थे प्रतिश्रुत्य द्विजेभ्यो न प्रयच्छति
śraddhayā parayā pārtha dvijebhyaḥ saṃprayacchati | śatakoṭiguṇaṃ puṇyaṃ koṭitīrthaprabhāvataḥ | koṭitīrthe pratiśrutya dvijebhyo na prayacchati
โอ้ ปารถะ ผู้ใดถวายทานแก่พราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย ณ ที่นี้ด้วยศรัทธาอันยิ่ง ด้วยอานุภาพแห่งโกฏิตีรถะ บุญย่อมทวีคูณถึงร้อยโกฏิ แต่ผู้ใดปฏิญาณ ณ โกฏิตีรถะแล้วไม่ถวายแก่พราหมณ์ ย่อมก่อบาปหนักยิ่ง
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)
Tirtha: Koṭitīrtha
Type: tirtha
Listener: Pārtha
Scene: Two contrasted vignettes on the same ghāṭa: (1) a devotee with folded hands gives to brāhmaṇas; radiant aura suggests multiplied merit; (2) a second figure makes a promise then turns away empty-handed, shadowed by ominous attendants of Yama in the background.
FAQs
Faithful giving at a tīrtha yields immense merit, while breaking a vowed promise of charity violates dharma and brings downfall.
Koṭitīrtha, whose 'prabhāva' multiplies the fruit of charity.
Give dāna to brāhmaṇas with śraddhā; do not promise at Koṭitīrtha and then fail to fulfill the gift.