Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, in the beginning, during Satya-yuga, the age of truth, religion is present with all four of its legs intact and is carefully maintained by the people of that age. These four legs of powerful religion are truthfulness, mercy, austerity and charity.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana
श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम्
मूल श्लोकः
श्रीशुक उवाच । कृते प्रवर्तते धर्मश्चतुष्पात्तज्जनैर्धृतः । सत्यं दया तपो दानमिति पादा विभोर्नृप
śrīśuka uvāca | kṛte pravartate dharmaścatuṣpāttajjanairdhṛtaḥ | satyaṃ dayā tapo dānamiti pādā vibhornṛpa
SB 12.3.18