Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42
अथ संसारिको दोषः स्वकृतं यत्र भुज्यते । गार्हस्थ्यं च प्रशंसंति वेदाः सर्वेऽपि नारद
atha saṃsāriko doṣaḥ svakṛtaṃ yatra bhujyate | gārhasthyaṃ ca praśaṃsaṃti vedāḥ sarve'pi nārada
Now, the fault that belongs to worldly life is this: in it one must inevitably experience—whether as joy or as suffering—the fruits of one’s own deeds. Yet, O Nārada, all the Vedas nevertheless praise the householder’s stage of life (gārhasthya).
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)
Listener: Nārada
Scene: A calm teaching scene: a sage instructs Nārada on the inevitability of karma-phala and the Vedic praise of the householder’s path; background hints of a hermitage with household fire (gārhapatya) and guests being received.
FAQs
Worldly life carries the burden of karma—one must face one’s own deeds—yet the Purāṇic and Vedic tradition still upholds gṛhastha life as a legitimate and praiseworthy dharmic path.
No specific tīrtha or sthala is named in this verse; the focus is ethical teaching on karma and the praised status of the householder stage.
No direct ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this verse; it provides doctrinal guidance about karma-phala and gṛhastha-dharma.