Yagnavalkya Rishi explains, ‘To play, decorate the body, to go to festivals, to laugh or to go to other peoples houses should all be renounced by a Suvasini (married women).’ Other duties of a married woman (as extracted from Shrimad Satsangi Jeevan) are as follows: They should not slander anybody and waste time in idle gossip. They should adorn the red mark - Chandlo made from Kumkum as it represents the sign of her marriage as well as showing her enthusiasm, strength, grace and order. They should introduce their young (from the age of three) into Dharma and religion - instilling the necessary Sanskaras into them. They should have a loving and kind nature towards all. They should themselves progress through education and never fall into useless arguments but resolve their differences.
A woman should aim to be Pativrata, who follows her husband and her duty impeccably. The qualities of such a Pativrata are given: (1) She always and everywhere conforms to the wishes of her husband (it is said that the husband of such a wife is ever faithful, never straying onto the wrong path). (2) She accepts her husband as being more important than even her own very breath - he is the focus of her attention. (3) She obeys her husband and Dharma implicitly without question. (4) She awakens in the morning before her husband and sees to his and other needs. She sleeps only after her husband (and other family members) has fallen asleep. (5) She always addresses her husband with respect (never by Tu-Kar nor by name). (6) She always acts in such a way that the husband never has to raise his voice. She should be forgiving. (7) She never befriends anybody with unrighteous qualities or actions. (8) She covers her body suitably with respectable clothing. (9) She spends all her time in service to her husband, family and God.
A Pativrata brings greatness to her family and generations attain Moksha as a result. It is said that the dust from the feet of a Pativrata cleanses and purifies even a sinner. The Puranas speak of stories that say that the brilliance of the sun was once over shadowed by the brilliance emanating from a Pativrata. Where there is a Pativrata there is Pavitrata (purity).
Even the Gods respect a Pativrata as Vayu is said to blow gently in the presence of a Pativrata (through fear of being cursed by her if he blows strongly). So impressed were the Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, by Sati Ansuya, that she was blessed by having sons who were the very forms of the three Gods - Chandramukh, Datatreya and Durvasa.
A Pativratas blessed feet are home to all the Tirthas (places of pilgrimage) and her body is said to be home to the Devas and Rishis. Those women that speak harshly to their husbands are said to be reborn as dogs. Those that associate with other men are reborn as owls and those who are violent towards their husbands are reborn as cats.
Pativrata Naris are famed in the Shastras and greatly respected. They praise the parents of such a woman for raising a righteous child. A husband may possess numerous bad qualities and be a great sinner, but should he have a Pativrata by his side, then there is no doubt that the husband will be uplifted to piousness. Their very touch purifies and to have Darshan of such a woman is Punya in itself.
The wife is said to be Laxmi Roopa - the source of wealth and happiness. She is Shakti Roopa - the source of strength and fortitude and she is Bhakti Roopa - leading one onto the path to salvation. In this way a married woman has a great responsibility, as she is also the mother of mankind.