The Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates ‘Women as Sati’ 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.
Women as Satī
In the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, there are two instances which show the greatness of satī. For example, the three wives of king Khanitra gave up their life to acquire the same world of their husband.[1] Again, Indrasenā, the wife of king Nariṣyanta, embracing her husband’s body, ascended the funeral pyre along with her dead husband.[2]
This Purāṇa also give another example of satī where king Karamdhama’s wife Virā, in lieu of immolating her body after her husband’s death, practised austerities hundred years for gaining the same world that of her husband.[3]
Here we find the domination of the custom of satī. It has been stated that hearing the wrong news of the death of Kuvaluyāśva, Madālasā, the wife, quickly yielded her dear life afflicted with grief.[4] Her death was praised by her husband considering her as a virtuous woman giving up her life for her husband.[5] It is also revealed from his speech that abandoning life of a woman for her husband is considered as praiseworthy but in case of man, giving up his life after his wife’s death is not so.[6] For a satī, her husband is a deity. Her obedience to her husband is like her worship and devotion to god. She travelled behind her husband to the eternal place. Hence it is good that nobody should mourn her death.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 115.20
[2]:
Ibid., 131.37
[3]:
Ibid., 125.35-36
[4]:
[5]: