Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 88
न हि दानफले कांक्षा काचिन्नऽस्ति सुरोत्तमाः । साधुसंरक्षणार्थं हि दानं नः परिकीर्तितम्
na hi dānaphale kāṃkṣā kācinna'sti surottamāḥ | sādhusaṃrakṣaṇārthaṃ hi dānaṃ naḥ parikīrtitam
اے بہترین دیوتاؤ! ہمیں دان کے پھل کی ذرّہ برابر بھی خواہش نہیں؛ ہمارا دان تو صرف سادھوؤں کی حفاظت کے لیے بیان کیا گیا ہے۔
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta)
Listener: surottamāḥ (addressed audience: ‘best of gods’)
Scene: A serene scene of deities or noble donors offering gifts to ascetics without expectation; the recipients are sādhus under a protective canopy, symbolizing ‘saṃrakṣaṇa’.
FAQs
True charity is selfless—done not for personal merit but to protect and sustain the righteous.
No tīrtha is named; the verse teaches the inner intention (bhāva) behind dāna.
Practice dāna with niṣkāma intent, specifically oriented toward supporting sādhus and dharmic life.