गुणान्विते च दातव्यं नास्ति मूर्खे व्यतिक्रमः । यस्त्वासन्नमतिक्रम्य ब्राह्मणं पतितादृते । दूरस्थं पूजयेन्मूढो गुणाढ्यं नरकं व्रजेत्
guṇānvite ca dātavyaṃ nāsti mūrkhe vyatikramaḥ | yastvāsannamatikramya brāhmaṇaṃ patitādṛte | dūrasthaṃ pūjayenmūḍho guṇāḍhyaṃ narakaṃ vrajet
พึงถวายทานและความเคารพแก่ผู้มีคุณธรรม การข้ามคนเขลาไม่เป็นโทษ แต่ผู้ใดละเลยพราหมณ์ที่อยู่ใกล้—เว้นแต่ผู้ตกจากธรรม—แล้วไปบูชาคนไกล แม้มีคุณความดีมาก ผู้นั้นย่อมไปสู่นรก
Unknown (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narration; dharma on honoring guests and worthiness)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A householder at Prabhāsa stands with a gift-tray. A nearby Brāhmaṇa sits at the threshold; the giver turns away to honor a distant, celebrated figure. A shadowy ‘naraka’ motif appears as a cautionary backdrop, while the ‘patita’ exception is shown as a figure with broken sacred thread kept aside.
It teaches discernment in honoring and giving—upholding proper dharma-order and avoiding misguided prestige-seeking.
Prabhāsa Kṣetra is the overarching sacred context for these dharma instructions.
Norms of dāna/pūjā: give to the virtuous and properly honor a suitable nearby Brāhmaṇa; avoid honoring in a way that violates dharma priorities.