Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates 鈥楻elation of Husband and Wife鈥� of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Relation of Husband and Wife
The husband and wife constitute an individual unit of the society. The relation between husband and wife is the base of domestic happiness.[1]
According to 膧pastambha:
鈥淣o division takes place between husband and wife, for since the time of marriage they stand united in respect of religious ceremonies and similarly in regard to the rewards for such deeds as produce spiritual merit and also with regard to the acquisition of property.鈥�[2]
In the 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 the love relation between a couple is described very beautifully which is considered to be highly blessed. An extramarital relation of both the husband and the wife is considered as the serious sinful act which can ruin the man鈥檚 life and bring misery for the whole life. So it was regarded as painful and harmful.[3] As stated in this 辫耻谤腻峁嘺 the wives play a major role in the family and in the life of her husband. The wife always consorts her husband and serves the husband with high respect. Again she has the right of residence in the husband鈥檚 house. To leave or abandon a wife is considered to be a sinful act.[4] Both of them suffer in their disposition and in that situation they support each other as a helper.[5] This spirit can hold the strong relation between husband and wife and then the family can be considered as an ideal family.
In the 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, there is a dialogue between 础苍补蝉奴测腻, the chaste wife of Atri, and a 产谤补丑尘补峁嘺鈥檚 chaste wife centering round the problem of a wife鈥檚 love and faithfulness to her husband and his climax or culmination. The husband is regarded as the highest pleasure or joy, God, deity for a wife.[6] For a woman, her husband and her love for him is the main goal of her life. This tends to her benefit now and in future also. Then she finds happiness here and after death.[7] A wife believes that all her desires will be successful through her service to her husband.[8]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
j膩y膩patyorna vibh膩go vidyate / p膩峁噄graha峁嚹乨 hi sahatva峁� karmasu / tath膩 pu峁噛aphale峁/ dravyaparigrahe峁 ca / 膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 2.6.16-19
[3]:
辫补谤补诲腻谤腻 na gantavy膩岣� 辫耻谤耻峁峁嘺 vipa艣cit膩 //
i峁ａ弓膩p奴rt膩yu峁Ｄ佱箖 hantr墨 parad膩ragatir n峁涐箛膩m /
na h墨d峁浥沘m an膩yu峁a峁� loke 办颈帽肠补苍补 vidyate //
y膩d峁浥沘峁� puru峁syeha 辫补谤补诲腻谤腻bhimar艣anam / 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 31.62 b-64 a; cf. 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈, 4.134; 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 13.104.21
[4]:
惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 12.5; 14.69-70
[5]:
[6]:
yato bhart膩 par膩 gati岣� / Ibid., 16.63 b
[7]:
j膩n膩myetanna 苍腻谤墨峁嚹佱箖 kaccit patisam膩gati岣� /
tat pr墨ti艣copak膩r膩ya iha loke paratra ca //
patipras膩d膩diha ca pretya caiva 测补艣补蝉惫颈苍墨 /
苍腻谤墨 sukhamav膩pnoti n膩ry膩 bhart膩 hi daivatam // Ibid., 16.67-68
苍腻谤墨峁嚹佱箖 bharturanyanna daivatam / Ibid, 20.33 a; cf. 惭补丑腻丑腻谤补迟补, 13.146.55; Matsya辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 216.17