Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24
यज्ञे चैवाश्वमेधे वै बलिना यः समर्चितः । हृता वसुमती तस्य त्रिपदीकृतरोदसी
yajñe caivāśvamedhe vai balinā yaḥ samarcitaḥ | hṛtā vasumatī tasya tripadīkṛtarodasī
अश्वमेध यज्ञात बलीने ज्याची विधिपूर्वक पूजा केली—त्यानेच बलीची वसुधा हिरावून घेतली आणि स्वर्ग-भूमी तीन पावलांत मोजली।
Unspecified (contextual narrator within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta addressing sages)
Scene: Bali’s Aśvamedha arena with priests and fire; Vāmana receiving worship; then the awe-inspiring Trivikrama expanding, one foot spanning earth, another heaven, measuring the worlds in three strides.
FAQs
Even when worship is offered, divine governance may restrict power to restore cosmic balance; true merit lies in surrender and dharma.
No tīrtha is named; the verse recalls the Trivikrama episode as theological mahatmya.
The Aśvamedha is referenced as context, but no instruction for performing it is given here.