Markandeya Purana

तन्नास्ति सर्वमेवैतद्विनैषां व्युष्टिसंस्थैतम् । कथं नु दिनसर्गः स्यादन्योऽन्यमवदन् सुराः॥१६.

Indeed, none of this exists without the establishment of the day; how then could the creation of the day occur? Thus the gods spoke among themselves.

तेषामेव समेतानां यज्ञव्युच्छित्तिशङ्किनाम् । देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा प्राह देवः प्रजापतिः॥१६.

As the assembled gods, fearing the cessation of sacrifice, heard these words, the god Prajapati spoke to them.

तेजः परं तेजसैव तपसा च तपस्तथा । प्रशाम्यतेऽमरास्तस्माच्छृणुध्वं वचनं मम॥१६.

Power is subdued only by greater power, and austerity by greater austerity; therefore, O immortals, listen to my words.

पतिव्रताया माहात्म्यान्नोद्गच्छति दिवाकरः । तस्य चानुदयाद्धानिर्मर्त्यानां भवतां तथा॥१६.

By the greatness of the devoted wife, the sun does not rise; and because he does not rise, hunger afflicts mortals and you as well.

तस्मात् पतिव्रतामत्रेरनुभूयां तपस्विनीम् । प्रसादयत वै पत्नीं भानोरुदयकाम्यया॥१६.

Therefore, approach that devoted and ascetic wife, and propitiate the wife of Bhanu, so that the sun may rise.

पुत्र उवाच तैः सा प्रसादिता गत्वा प्रोहेष्टं व्रियतामिति । अयाचन्त दिनं देवा भवत्विति यथा पुरा॥१६.

The son said: Having gone to her, they propitiated her, saying, 'Let the day be as before, let the sunrise occur as before.'

अनसूयोवाच पतिव्रताया माहात्म्यं न हीयेत कथन्त्विति । संमान्य तस्मात् तां साध्वीमहः स्त्रक्ष्याम्यहं सुराः॥१६.

Anasuya said: 'How could the greatness of a devoted wife be diminished? Therefore, honoring that virtuous woman, I shall create the day, O gods.'

यथा पुनरहोरात्र-संस्थानमुपजायते । यथा च तस्याः स्वपतिर्न साध्व्या नाशमेष्यति॥१६.

Just as the cycle of day and night arises again, so too, the husband of a virtuous woman will never come to ruin.

पुत्र उवाच एवमुक्त्वा सुरांस्तस्या गत्वा सा मन्दिरं शुभा । उवाच कुशलं पृष्टा धर्मं भर्तुस्तथात्मनः॥१६.

The son said: Having spoken thus, that auspicious lady went to her residence, and after being asked about her well-being, she inquired about the righteousness of her husband and herself.

अनसूयोवाच कच्चिन्नन्दसि कल्याणि स्वभर्तुर्मुखदर्शनात् । कच्चिच्चाखिलदेवेभ्यो मन्यसेऽभ्यधिकं पतिम्॥१६.

Anasuya said: Are you happy, O blessed one, from seeing your husband's face? And do you consider your husband superior to all the gods?

भर्तृशुश्रूषणादेव मया प्राप्तं महत् फलम् । सर्वकामफलावाप्त्या प्रत्यूहाः परिवर्तिताः॥१६.

It is solely through service to my husband that I have attained great merit; by obtaining the fruits of all desires, all obstacles have been removed.

पञ्चर्णानि मनुष्येण साध्वि ! देयानि सर्वदा । तथात्मवर्णधर्मेण कर्तव्यो धनसंचयः॥१६.

O virtuous one! A person should always give five offerings, and in accordance with one's own class and duty, one should accumulate wealth.

प्राप्तश्चार्थस्ततः पात्रे विनियोज्यो विधानतः । सत्यार्जव-तपो-दानैर्दयायुक्तो भवेत् सदा॥१६.

And when wealth is obtained, it should be properly distributed to the deserving; one should always be endowed with truth, honesty, austerity, charity, and compassion.

क्रियाश्च शास्त्रनिर्दिष्टा रागद्वेषविवर्जिताः । कर्तव्या अन्वहं श्रद्धा-पुरस्कारेण शक्तितः॥१६.

Actions prescribed by the scriptures, free from attachment and aversion, should be performed daily with faith and to the best of one's ability.

स्वजातिविहितानेव लोकानाप्नोति मानवः । क्लेशेन महता साध्वि ! प्राजापत्यादिकान् क्रमात्॥१६.

A person attains only those worlds prescribed for their own birth, O virtuous one, and with great effort, attains the worlds beginning with that of Prajapati, in due order.

स्त्रियस्त्वेवं समस्तस्य नरैर्दुः खार्जितस्य वै । पुण्यस्यार्धापहारिण्यः पतिशुश्रूषयैव हि॥१६.

But women, by serving their husbands, take away half the merit of all the virtuous deeds arduously earned by men.

नास्ति स्त्रीणां पृथग्यज्ञो न श्राद्धं नाप्युपोषितम् । भर्तृशुश्रूषयैवैतान् लोकानिष्टान् व्रजन्ति हि॥१६.

There is no separate sacrifice, no ancestral offering, nor fasting for women; by serving their husbands alone, they attain the desired worlds.

तस्मात् साध्वि ! महाभागे ! पतिशुश्रूषणं प्रति । त्वया मतिः सदा कार्या यतो भर्ता परा गतिः॥१६.

Therefore, O virtuous and greatly fortunate one, you should always keep your mind intent on serving your husband, for the husband is the highest goal.

यद्देवेभ्यो यच्च पित्रागतेभ्यः कुर्याद्भर्ताभ्यर्च्चनं सत्क्रियातः । तस्याप्यर्धं केवलानन्यचित्ता नारी भुङ्क्ते भर्तृशुश्रूषयैव॥१६.

Whatever worship or honor a husband performs for the gods or ancestors, a woman of undivided mind partakes in half of that solely by serving her husband.

पुत्र उवाच तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतिपूज्य तथादरात् । प्रत्युवाचात्रिपत्नीं तामनसूयामिदं वचः॥१६.

The son said: Hearing those words, and honoring her with due respect, she replied to Anasuya, the wife of Atri, with these words:

धन्यास्म्यनुगृहीतास्मि देवैश्चाप्यवलोकिता । यन्मे प्रकृतिकल्याणि ! श्रद्धां वर्धयसे पुनः॥१६.

I am blessed, I am favored, and even the gods have looked upon me, for you, naturally auspicious one, have again strengthened my faith.

जानाम्येतन्न नारीणां काचित् पतिसमा गतिः । तत्प्रीतिश्चोपकाराय इह लोके परत्र च॥१६.

I know this: there is no path for women equal to that of the husband; his affection brings benefit in this world and the next.

पतिप्रसादादिह च प्रेत्य चैव यशस्विनि । नारी सुखमवाप्नोति नार्या भर्ता हि देवता॥१६.

Through the favor of her husband, both here and after death, a woman attains happiness; for the husband is indeed the deity for a wife.

सा त्वं ब्रूहि महाभागे ! प्राप्ताया मम मन्दिरम् । आर्याया यन्मया कार्यं तथार्येणापि वा शुभे॥१६.

Therefore, O greatly fortunate one, now that you have come to my house, tell me, O noble lady, what I should do for you, or what you would have me do.

अनसूयोवाच एते देवाः सहेन्द्रेण मामुपागम्य दुः खिताः । त्वद्वाख्यापास्तसत्कर्मदिननक्तनिरूपणाः॥१६.

Anasuya said: These gods, along with Indra, came to me in distress, having been deprived of their meritorious deeds by your account, both day and night.

याचन्तेऽहर्निशासंस्थां यथावदविखण्डिताम् । अहं तदर्थमायाता शृणु चैतद्वचो मम॥१६.

They continually beg for the uninterrupted course of day and night as before; I have come for that purpose—now listen to my words.

दिनाभावात् समस्तानामभावो यागकर्मणाम् । तदभावात् सुराः पुष्टिं नोपयान्ति तपस्विनि॥१६.

Because of the absence of days, all sacrificial rites have ceased; and without those, O ascetic, the gods do not receive nourishment.

अह्नश्चैव समुच्छेदादुच्छेदः सर्वकर्मणाम् । तदुच्छेदादनावृष्ट्या जगदुच्छेदमेष्यति॥१६.

With the cessation of day, all actions come to an end; from that cessation, due to lack of rain, the world will face destruction.

तत् त्वमिच्छसि चेदेतत् जगदुद्धर्तुमापदः । प्रसीद साध्वि ! लोकानां पूर्ववद्धर्ततां रविः॥१६.

Therefore, if you wish to rescue the world from calamity, O virtuous one, be gracious—let the sun sustain the worlds as before.