Markandeya Purana

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.

ब्राह्मण्युवाच माण्डव्येन महाभागे ! शप्तो भर्ता ममेश्वरः । सूर्योदये विनाशं त्वं प्राप्स्यसीत्यतिमन्युना॥१६.

The Brahmani said: By Mandavya's curse, O noble lady, my husband, the lord, was condemned in anger: 'Without sunrise, you will meet your end.'

अनसूयोवाच यदि वा रोचते भद्रे ! ततस्त्वद्वचनादहम् । करोमि पूर्ववद्देहं भर्तारञ्च नवं तव॥१६.

Anasuya said: If it pleases you, O blessed one, then at your request I shall restore things as before, and give you a new husband.

मया हि सर्वथा स्त्रीणां माहात्म्यं वरवर्णिनि । पतिव्रतानामाराध्यमिति संमानयामि ते॥१६.

For in every way, O lovely one, I honor the greatness of women, especially the devotion of the faithful wife.

पुत्र उवाच तथेत्युक्ते तया सूर्यमाजुहाव तपस्विनी । अनसूयार्घ्यमुद्यम्य दशरात्रे तदा निशि॥१६.

The son said: When she agreed, the ascetic Anasuya invoked the Sun, offering arghya at night on the tenth day.

ततो विवस्वान् भगवान् फुल्लपद्मारुणाकृतिः । शैलराजानमुदयमारुरोहोरुमण्डलः॥१६.

Then the blessed Vivasvat, radiant as a blossoming red lotus, ascended the mountain king with his great orb.

समनन्तरमेवास्या भर्ता प्राणैर्व्ययुज्यत । पपात च महीपृष्ठे पतन्तं जगृहे च सा॥१६.

Immediately, her husband departed from life; he fell to the ground, and she caught him as he was falling.

अनसूयोवाच न विषादस्त्वया भद्रे ! कर्तव्यः पश्य मे बलम् । पतिशुश्रूषयावाप्तं तपसः किं चिरेण ते॥१६.

Anasuya said: Do not grieve, O blessed one! Witness my power—by serving your husband, what fruit of austerity have you not gained?

यथा भर्तृसमं नान्यमपश्यं पुरुषं क्वचित् । रूपतः शीलतो बुद्ध्या वाङ्माधुर्ंय्यादिभूषणैः॥१६.

As I have never seen any man equal to my husband in beauty, character, wisdom, or sweetness of speech.

तेन सत्येन विप्रोऽयं व्याधिमुक्तः पुनर्युवा । प्राप्नोतु जीवितं भार्यासहायः शरदां शतम्॥१६.

By that truth, may this Brahmin be freed from disease, become youthful again, and live a hundred years with his wife.

यथा भर्तृसमं नान्यमहं पश्यामि दैवतम् । तेन सत्येन विप्रोऽयं पुनर्जोवत्वनामयः॥१६.

As I see no deity equal to my husband, by that truth, may this Brahmin regain youth and health.