Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 104
बालत्वेऽपि च सोऽश्राति यद्दत्तं दम्भकारणात् । दत्तमन्यायतो वित्तं वै चार्थकारणम्
bālatve'pi ca so'śrāti yaddattaṃ dambhakāraṇāt | dattamanyāyato vittaṃ vai cārthakāraṇam
اگر آدمی ریا و دکھاوے کے سبب دان کرے تو جوانی ہی میں تباہی کو پہنچتا ہے؛ اور جو مال ظلم سے کمایا گیا ہو، اگر دنیاوی فائدے کے لیے دان کیا جائے تو وہ بھی صرف زوال ہی لاتا ہے۔
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Scene: A wealthy donor performs a public donation with trumpets and onlookers, while a shadowy figure behind counts gains; the scene subtly shows the donor’s fall—cracked pedestal, wilting garlands—symbolizing ruin from hypocrisy and unjust wealth.
FAQs
Charity must be pure in motive; giving done for show or profit destroys merit and brings harm.
No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches general Purāṇic dharma about righteous giving.
It implicitly regulates dāna: avoid hypocritical giving and avoid giving wealth acquired through injustice.