Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4
ततो रामश्चिरात्स्मृत्वा तां प्रतिज्ञां स्वयं कृताम् । वधार्थं संप्रविष्टस्य समीपे पुरुषस्य च
tato rāmaścirātsmṛtvā tāṃ pratijñāṃ svayaṃ kṛtām | vadhārthaṃ saṃpraviṣṭasya samīpe puruṣasya ca
Kemudian Rama, setelah sekian lama, teringat akan nazar suci yang dibuatnya sendiri: bahawa sesiapa yang masuk ke hadapannya dengan niat untuk dibunuh, pasti akan dihukum mati.
Sūta (narrative voice implied)
Scene: Rāma pauses, recollection dawning; the atmosphere tightens as the remembered vow—about slaying one who enters seeking death—casts a shadow over the scene.
FAQs
A vow binds even the righteous; dharma is shown as exacting, demanding accountability for one’s spoken word.
The ethical narrative unfolds within the Tīrthamāhātmya’s sacred-place frame, reinforcing that holy places test and refine dharma.
None directly; the verse centers on the binding nature of a vowed rule regarding entry into the king’s presence.