Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32
गदोवाच हृषीकेशं प्रहसन्तीव भामिनी । मया ह्यशक्यो वधितुं ब्रह्मण्यो हि बलिर्महान्
gadovāca hṛṣīkeśaṃ prahasantīva bhāminī | mayā hyaśakyo vadhituṃ brahmaṇyo hi balirmahān
คทากล่าวแก่หฤษีเกศ ราวกับยิ้มว่า: “ข้าพเจ้าไม่อาจประหารเขาได้ เพราะพาลีผู้ยิ่งใหญ่เป็นผู้เคารพบูชาพราหมณ์ รักษาธรรมอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์”
Gadā (Viṣṇu’s mace, personified)
Scene: Gadā, personified as a woman, addresses Hṛṣīkeśa with a near-smile, refusing the command on dharmic grounds: Bali is brahmaṇya and thus not slayable by her.
FAQs
Merit born of honoring sacred duty—especially reverence for Brāhmaṇas and dharma—creates a spiritual protection even against overwhelming power.
Kedāra is the textual setting, but the verse chiefly praises the dharmic quality of “brahmaṇyatā” rather than a location.
No explicit rite is stated; the implied dharma is honoring Brāhmaṇas and sacred order.