Markandeya Purana

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.

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा भर्तुराराधनं प्रति । यथा ममोद्यमो नित्यं तथायं जीवतां द्विजः॥१६.

As my constant effort in deed, thought, and word has been to serve my husband, so may this Brahmin live on.

पुत्र उवाच ततो विप्रः समुत्तस्थौ व्याधिमुक्तः पुनर्युवा । स्वभाभिर्भासयन् वेश्म वृन्दारक इवाजरः॥१६.

The son said: Then the Brahmin rose up, freed from disease, youthful again, illuminating the house with his own radiance, like an immortal child among the gods.

ततोऽपतत् पुष्पवृष्टिर्देववाद्यादिनिस्वनः । लेभिरे च मुदं देवा अनसूयामथाब्रुवन्॥१६.

Then a shower of flowers fell, divine music resounded, and the gods rejoiced; they spoke to Anasuya.

देवा ऊचुः वरं वृणीष्व कल्याणि देवकार्यं महत् कृतम् । त्वया यस्मात् ततो देवा वरदास्ते तपस्विनि॥१६.

The gods said: Choose a boon, O blessed one! You have accomplished a great task for the gods; therefore, O ascetic, the gods grant you a boon.

अनसूयोवाच यदि देवाः प्रसन्ना मे पितामहपुरोगमाः । वरदा वरयोग्या च यद्यहं भवतां मता॥१६.

Anasuya said: If the gods, led by the Grandfather, are pleased with me, and if I am worthy to receive a boon and am regarded favorably by you all—

तद्यान्तु मम पुत्रत्वं ब्रह्म-विष्णु-महेश्वराः । योगञ्च प्राप्नुयां भर्तृसहिता क्लेशमुक्तये॥१६.

Then let Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara become my sons, and may I attain yoga together with my husband, for freedom from suffering.

एवमस्त्विति तां देवा ब्रह्म-विष्णु-शिवादयः । प्रोक्त्वा जग्मुर्यथान्यायमनुमान्य तपस्विनीम्॥१६.

The gods—Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the others—replied, 'So be it,' and, honoring the ascetic woman, departed as was proper.

त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः पुत्रावूचतुः स राजपुत्रः संप्राप्य वेगादात्मपुरं ततः । पित्रोर्ववन्दिषुः पादौ दिदृक्षुश्च मदालसाम् ॥ २३.

Chapter Twenty-Three. The two sons spoke: That prince, swiftly reaching his own city, bowed at the feet of his parents, longing to see Madalasa.

ददर्श जनमुद्विग्नमप्रहृष्टमुखं पुरः । पुनश्च विस्मिताकारं प्रहृष्टवदनं ततः ॥ २३.

He saw the people anxious, their faces joyless; then again, with astonished expressions, their faces became joyful.

अन्यमुत्फुल्लनयनं दिष्ट्या दिष्ट्येतिवादिनम् । परिष्वजन्तमन्योन्यमतिकौतूहलान्वितम् ॥ २३.

He saw another, eyes wide with delight, exclaiming, 'By fortune! By fortune!' and embracing another with great excitement.