Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44
विष्णवे पृथिवीं दत्त्वा बलिः पातालमाश्रितः । सत्यवाक्यं समाश्रित्य न निष्क्रामति दैत्यपः
viṣṇave pṛthivīṃ dattvā baliḥ pātālamāśritaḥ | satyavākyaṃ samāśritya na niṣkrāmati daityapaḥ
Nachdem Bali die Erde Viṣṇu dargebracht hatte, nahm er Zuflucht in Pātāla. An sein wahrhaftiges Wort gebunden weicht jener Herr der Daityas nicht davon.
Narrative voice (contextual, not explicit in this verse)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Sakhyaḥ (companions)
Scene: Vāmana receiving the gift of earth; Bali, humbled yet steadfast, later shown residing in Pātāla, bound by his own truthful promise.
FAQs
A vow once given in truth binds even the mighty; satya safeguards dharma more than power or status.
No explicit tīrtha is named in the verse; it supports the Māhātmya’s ethical framework for pilgrimage and sacred conduct.
The implied prescription is dāna (gift) upheld by satya—charity becomes dharmic when one honors the pledged word.