क्षीणरिक्थश्च्युत: स्थानात् क्षिप्तो बद्धश्च शत्रुभि: ।
ज्ञातिभिश्च परित्यक्तो यातनामनुयापित: ॥
गुरुणा भर्त्सित: शप्तो जहौ सत्यं न सुव्रत: ।
छलैरुक्तो मया धर्मो नायं त्यजति सत्यवाक् ॥
kṣīṇa-rikthaś cyutaḥ sthānāt kṣipto baddhaś ca śatrubhiḥ |
jñātibhiś ca parityakto yātanām anuyāpitaḥ ||
guruṇā bhartsitaḥ śapto jahau satyaṁ na suvrataḥ |
chalair ukto mayā dharmo nāyaṁ tyajati satya-vāk ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.22.29‒30)
[Vāmanadeva to Brahmā about Bali Mahārāja:] “Although he was bereft of his property, deprived of his position, thrown down and bound by his enemies, deserted by his kinsmen, subjected repeatedly to torment, and chastized and cursed by his guru, he did not give up his truthfulness, as he was firmly avowed. Even when I spoke [to him] about dharma deceptively, he did not give up speaking the truth.”