Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24
कलिकाले विशेषेण स्वैरिण्यो ललितस्पृहाः । भर्त्रा विवदमानाश्च स्त्रियः कार्मणतत्पराः । वृथा व्रतानि कुर्वंति त्यक्त्वा ताः स्वपतेः कथाम्
kalikāle viśeṣeṇa svairiṇyo lalitaspṛhāḥ | bhartrā vivadamānāśca striyaḥ kārmaṇatatparāḥ | vṛthā vratāni kurvaṃti tyaktvā tāḥ svapateḥ kathām
Surtout à l’âge de Kali, les femmes deviennent volontaires, avides de plaisirs ; elles se querellent avec leur époux et s’adonnent à des rites d’envoûtement. Délaissant la voie juste de la fidélité envers leur mari, elles accomplissent des vœux en vain.
Nārada (addressing Pitāmaha/Brahmā)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A domestic scene near a shrine: a couple in dispute, while the woman performs a vow with ritual items; a shadowy figure representing ‘kārmaṇa’ manipulation hovers; a sage points to a path labeled dharma, indicating vows must align with right conduct.
FAQs
Ritual observance (vrata) bears fruit only when grounded in dharma; hypocrisy and harmful intent render it empty.
No site is praised in this verse; it describes Kali-yuga conditions that threaten tīrtha-dharma.
Vrata is mentioned, but as a warning: vows done with wrongdoing or manipulation are declared fruitless.