A Page from Ancient Literature

The strong words of curse- the decree resounded in the air. It caused anxiety among the people…darkness continued to engulf and for days together, the Sun does not muster up courage to rise…it disturbed created beings and the gods. After prolonged consultations the god, celestial beings and other created beings appeared before the Supreme Lord, who advises gods to pray before saintly woman Anusuya and continued to look on the congregation of gods

Emphatic and strong words of a faithful and devoted wife caused anxiety. Even the great god could not act against the words of a loyal wife.  Next morning, the Sun did not rise. The dark night continued causing natural worries in the minds of the people. Because of the command of a saintly and devout woman, a long time equal to the time of many days and night passed but Sun god refused to rise as the dictum of a devoted woman resounded. It was darkness and darkness only. After a long time, when the Sun did not rise as usual, it created fears and uncertainty among the created beings and the gods.

At that unusual time, the gods thought, “The world devoid of study of scriptures, yajnas for the propitiation of gods, shradha - religious ceremonies to please manes and ancestors, and yajnas for the wellbeing of people would be destroyed because sins would engulf the world and the people. When no system of day and night prevails, it will result in the disappearance of days, months, seasons, and thus, anarchic situation would envelop. The vanishing of days, months, seasons, yajnas and religious ceremonies, would also signal the end of dakshyana and uttarayana – two phases between Makara Sankranti around 14th January and Karka Sankranti  around 16th July. During the period the sun moves from Capricorn to cancer –South to North, the other is clear. Without the knowledge of ayana -spring season-time of flowers, it is impossible to have the knowledge of a year and in the absence of existence of a year, one cannot claim knowledge of time.” The life of the cosmos will face inexplicable problems if sun stops setting and rising. The gods evaluated the consequences of the extraordinary situation. The deliberations continued.

After deep deliberation, the gods said loudly, “If the words of a devoted wife do not allow sunrise, then without the morning or daybreak, obligatory duties like taking bath, dana and necessary karmas will stop. Now, one notices visible signs of discontinuance of agnihotra, sacrificial fire and yajnas or a process of healing through fire. Without oblations or offering in the sacrificial fire of the well of yajna, all gods would remain unsatisfied. When people on earth give share of the sacrificial offerings after the conclusion of the yajnas, the gods also shower blessings, compassion, sympathy, love and benevolence, and then, bring sufficient rain, at times torrential it is and it gives freshness to earth, and the people grow crops etc.”

They continued to say, “After the rain, plenty of crop grows and again, the people hold yajnas to please the gods, and thereafter, offerings of the people fully satisfy the generous gods and we, the gods, again bless men with wealth, prosperity, health and pleasures of life. If it stops, devotion is absent and the night continues, yajnas etc. would stop, and then, only sufferings would visit living beings. Thus, O dear brothers, we cause the rain to fall on earth, so that the human beings hold yajnas, prayers and other ceremonies and send shares of offerings of prayers, worship and yajnas upward and we, the gods receive.” The gods seemed naturally worried.

Gods were aware of the noble karmas of human beings on earth. It was a reciprocated arrangement or say tacit understanding with a feeling of goodwill and it would make survival easy.  Virtuous karmas of men help god to survive whereas blessings of gods prove beneficial to men. After a pause, the gods resumed, “Rains satisfy human beings and yajnas etc. human beings organize pouring sacrificial fuel in to the fire of yajnas, and thus, human beings shower rain of havishya –sacrificial material on gods and gratify the gods of heaven.”

“O gods, listen.” The senior gods expressed views to caution others, “We pollute and contaminate water, surya, fire, air and earth for the sinners, who out of greed, eat up the share of offering of yajna meant for the gods. When human beings enjoy the infected and impure gifts nature and gods bestow on men, fatal diseases besiege, and thereafter, they become victims of various ailments because of ku-karmas.”

“O gods, you know well that noble men and mahatmas, who satisfy the gods first with the offerings and then, enjoy the leftover of donations of yajnas, get punya-loka -the land of bliss i.e. heaven with the blessing of gods. Now, the earth is bereft of morning, and the Sun does not rise and as a result, it is impossible for human beings to perform acts of charity, dana, tapa, meditation and yajnas. Naturally, it would also affect lives of gods in heaven. It is a chaotic situation.” Thus, the gods of heavens continued to hold serious deliberations.

When the Sun does not rise, it creates genuine worries –discontinuity of virtuous karmas disturbs gods of heavens even as the cosmic system suffers- Supreme Lord advises gods to pray before saintly woman Anusuya

Anxieties and worries of the gods increased each minute. Human beings abandoned yajnas and various holy karmas, and therefore, uncertainty and doubt about the ruin and discontinuance of yajnas and sacred karmas immensely disturbed the divine gathering of gods.   Men on earth performed virtuous karmas but the absence of yajnas, prayers and worship did not exercise healthy effect on gods and the lives of gods in heavens, the gods deliberated. Observing anxieties of gods, the great prajapati, the Supreme lord Brahma said, “The Sun does not rise because of the magnificence, glow and glory of a devoted woman. If the Sun does not rise, it would harm not only the created beings but the gods also. You go to Anusuya, a woman of devotion, tapa and penance, the wife of sage Atri, stand before the saintly woman and pray, and then, reveal the desire you harbour. She would bless you with the boon and the Sun would begin its normal journey. Please try to gratify the angelic woman.”

Gods knew no alternative, and therefore, they rushed to seek blessing of Anusuya, the devout consort of sage Atri. They prayed modestly and revealed before her, the inner desires and the misfortunes creating miseries if the Sun does not rise soon.

Anxieties of the gods appeared genuine. Angelic woman said, “O gods, one cannot lessen the significance and influence tapa of a devoted wife. Therefore, I shall try to prevail upon the woman, and then, request her to allow the Sun to rise so that day takes birth. I would devise a plan that permits the system of day and night and other related natural phenomena to operate as usual so that the world runs as per norms and the will of the creator, and at the same time, it does not cause death to the husband of a virtuous and devoted wife.”

After assuring gods, Anusuya went to the house of the brahmin and met his devoted wife. When the wife of the brahmin asked she told about the wellbeing of her husband sage Atri, and also spoke about dharma.

Anusuya said, “O noblewoman, do you remain happy after beholding the face of husband? Is it correct? Do you think a husband great, even greater than the gods of heavens? O virtuous woman, I am devoted to my husband and so the great lord blessed.  Devotion to a spouse is a great prayer. At that same time, for the fulfillment of the aspirations and desires, the devotion also pushes aside hurdles on the way. O saintly woman, O sadhvi, a man must pay off five kinds of debts.” She reflected over the words she uttered.

After a thought, she said, “It is necessary to earn money according to dharma of one’s varna - class of society doing assigned jobs irrespective of caste. After earning wealth properly, one should perform religious ceremonies, you know - worship and yajnas, and then, give dana to the eligible and the deserving people like the brahmins, the poor, the hungry etc. One should live a life of truth, simplicity, tapasya, dana and compassion. One should abandon feelings and thoughts of kama - passion and love for material possession, and then, through righteous karmas as enshrined in the revered books, should perform religious acts with a devotional heart.”

“If a man performs acts correctly and adheres to the principles of dharma, karma, and varna, one attains the highest land of bliss, heaven or Supreme loka. O woman of devotion, likewise people, who undergo intense sufferings and pains also attain the supreme land of bliss. However, the women, after serving with devoted hearts their respective husbands while enduring miseries and agonies become entitled to half of the punyas - virtues and blessings so earned during devotion and loyalty to husbands. No separate religious dictum exists for the women to organize prayers, worship or yajnas. They attain the highest status in heaven if they serve husbands with devotion and faithfulness. Therefore, O great woman, you should always devote heart and mind at the service of husband because a woman attains salvation through service to the spouse.” 

She clarified the impact of devotion to a husband further when she said, “O holy woman, a wife shares half of the blessings and punyas a husband earns while ardently serving gods, pitres - manes or ancestors and guests through prayers, worship and yajnas.”

After hearing sublime, chaste and pious words of Anusuya, the holy consort of sage Atri, the devoted wife of a sick husband Kaushik, worshipped her reverentially and then, said, “O goddess, you blessed living beings with wellbeing, and thus, also fulfilled wishes when you arrived. You showed generosity and enhanced my devotion and faith in the service of husband. I am grateful to you for the inspiring words. Therefore, I feel blessed and so, I am indebted. An act of great mercy and compassion it is, you exhibited. In the same way, the gods are generous and benevolent to me. I know it is through service and devotion to a husband that a woman can attain salvation, and so I find no other path more valuable and favourable.”

She said again, after a thought, “O holy woman, love and devotion to a husband benefits and blesses a woman on earth and beyond. She gets ultimate deliverance from the shackles of earthly joys and sufferings. O holy woman of glory and splendeur, because of the prasada -blessings in the shape of words or kind, of devotion and service to a husband, a woman gets comforts and joys in this world and the world beyond because a husband is like a god to a wife. O virtuous woman, you came to the house. Please tell me what I should do for you. Whatever is appropriate for my husband to do, he would gladly serve you.”

Kaushik’s wife is delighted to hear soothing and inspiring words of Anusuya and makes a request…she is ready to do what the holy woman wants

Anusuya said, “O noblewoman, the authoritative words you said on hearing the curse of sage Mandvya disturbed the natural system of day and night, months and years, seasons and various natural phenomena. The scheme of day and night is disturbed, and therefore, it resulted in the stoppage of noble karmas -virtuous acts -prayers, worship and yajnas. Men do not get appropriate and auspicious time. Therefore, the suffering gods under the guidance of lord Indra came to me for help and advice. They prayed that the system of day and night should continue as it was earlier without any break, and thus, they wish the eternal flow of natural blessing. The request of the gods is genuine otherwise, if you do not grant a humble request, it would disturb the system of the cosmos and thereby, cause anxieties to the Supreme Lord.”

“O holy woman, please listen.” Anusuya said. After a short while, she resumed, “As day does not exist, therefore, no virtuous karmas of yajnas, worship etc. take place, and thus, human beings and gods suffer. In the absence of yajnas and religious offerings, gods do not get share of sacrificial offerings and consequently, fail to bless human beings. If gods do not get share of offerings of the holy yajnas, it would cause lack of rains on earth, and thus, it would be the end of gracious karmas, and the entire world would face extinction.  Lack of noble karmas and punyas means the beginning of an end of the world.  Therefore, if you wish to save the universe from a calamity, then, be kind and generous to the three worlds and allow the Sun to rise and spread light as usual.”

The holy woman said, “O great woman, the great sage Mandvya was angry, and therefore, issued a curse against my husband that the moment he sees light of the day at sunrise he would die.”

Anusuya said, “O noble woman, if you desire and say so then, I bless your husband and bring him back to earlier solid and healthy body. O beautiful woman, I always revere, and grant sanctified and supreme status to faithful and devoted women. Therefore, I accept your words and status.”

The noble wife of the ailing brahmin, through the language of eyes accepted the words of holy Anusuya and immediately, the holy woman Anusuya, took water in a palm with the chanting of holy mantras and thought of Sun god. At that time, a night equal to ten days had already passed. Thereafter, the great Sun of glow and light rises up in the east to fill lives of human beings and gods with hopes, life and eternal joy. The moment, the Sun rose in the east, Kaushik slowly began to collapse on the ground lifeless. However, the wife of the sick man held him before he could fall.

Anusuya looked at the falling man and said, “O noble woman, do not feel distressed.  Whatever power of tapa I attained while serving sage Atri, I exercise that strength of blessedness. You see the divine power now and witness a miracle. Why there should be any delay? I always served my husband, an embodiment of beauty, noble conduct, intellect and sweet words with devotion and plenteous faith and never saw any other man. If I am devoted to husband and if I observed truth and dedication in the conduct of service and loyalty to husband, then, the sick brahmin would get rid of ailment, and attain youth and beauty. After getting back health, beauty and youth, he would live for one hundred years with you.” She blessed the wife of a sick brahmin.

After a pause, she said again, “If I consider my swamy a god and do not think of worshipping any other god, then, the sick brahmin should get back life through the influence of the truth, I spoke.” She was clear and emphatic and after a moment, said, “If I served, and serve husband sage Atri and make genuine efforts in this direction and if I truly devoted ‘the self’ to him through heart, words and holy deeds towards his service, then, the brahmin should get back to life.”

Everyone was astonished when the sick brahmin Kaushik got up and stood transformed into a young and handsome man, free from any disease. Thus, Anusuya blessed another life to the sick man. At that time, the gods of heavens showered flowers amidst blowing of conches, trumpets and beating of drums.

Gods are supremely happy at the conduct of saintly Anusuya…bless her …and later the great Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva take birth as sons of Anusuya

The gods said to the holy woman, “O holy woman, you did a great favour to gods. O woman of tapasya, the gods are pleased, and therefore, wish to bless you with a boon.”

Anusuya heard the sublime words of gods and after a thought, said, “If Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and various gods are happy and wish to bless, and if gods think me fit to bless than I nurture a keen desire…” She was silent, serious and deliberative for a few moments.

After a short while, said, “In that case, I wish Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva take birth as my sons, and then, while living with my husband, I should attain the status of yoga so that it grants moksa from sufferings.”

Granting the boon, the holy trinity and the gods mounted the aerial cars and flew away. The powers of a faithful wife are incredible, and she is capable of accomplishing anything, otherwise unattainable. Dedication and devotion to a husband blesses a woman with unique divine powers, and even the Trinity obeys the commands of such a woman without hesitation. In other words, devotion and service to society and humanity is the real joy and treasure, and when one gets joy and delight out of service to suffering humanity, one enjoys supreme blessing.