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=== स्त्रीधनम् ॥ Stridhana ===
 
=== स्त्रीधनम् ॥ Stridhana ===
Every property movable or immoveable, given to a woman by anyone constitutes her own absolute property. Manusmrti clearly indicates that those relations who, in their folly, live on the properties of women, their conveyances and clothes (stridhana), are committing papa (पापम्) and thus, suffer downfall.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Ganganath Jha (1920-39), Manusmrti ([https://ia801603.us.archive.org/33/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.46010/2015.46010.Manusmrti--Vol-4.pdf Vol.4]), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.</ref><blockquote>स्त्रीधनानि तु ये मोहादुपजीवन्ति बान्धवाः । नारी यानानि वस्त्रं वा ते पापा यान्त्यधोगतिम् । । ३.५२ । ।<ref name=":0" />
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Every property movable or immoveable, given to a woman by anyone, constitutes her own absolute property.<ref name=":2" /> There are 6 typrs of Stridhana according to Manusmrti viz.
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''strīdhanāni tu yē mōhādupajīvanti bāndhavāḥ । nārī yānāni vastraṁ vā tē pāpā yāntyadhōgatim । । 3.52 । ।''</blockquote>In fact, the rule of succession to Stridhana was that it would go to daughters, to the exclusion of the sons and, to the sons only in the event of there being no daughters.
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# That which is given by the father and others during marriage infront of the fire.
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# Ornaments and other things obtained from the husband's family.
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# That which is given by the husband.
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# That which is given by the father.
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# That which is given by the brother and  
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# That which is received from the mother.<ref name=":6">Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.343659/page/n491/mode/2up?view=theater The Manusmriti], Lucknow: Newal Kishore Press.</ref>
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<blockquote>
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अध्यग्न्यध्यावाहनिकं दत्तं च प्रीतिकर्मणि । भ्रातृमातृपितृप्राप्तं षड्विधं स्त्रीधनं स्मृतम् । । ९.१९४ । ।<ref name=":1" />
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adhyagnyadhyāvāhanikaṁ dattaṁ ca prītikarmaṇi । bhrātr̥mātr̥pitr̥prāptaṁ ṣaḍvidhaṁ strīdhanaṁ smr̥tam । । 9.194 । ।</blockquote>
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Speaking of the rules of succession to Stridhana, Manusmrti says that the wealth obtained from the husband's family during marriage and that given by the husband himself as a token of love belongs to her progeny incase the woman dies while her husband is still alive. And if there is no offspring, the wealth belongs either to her husband or father. However, it emphasizes that any wealth given to a woman by her father shall belong to her daughter or the child of her daughter.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":4" /><blockquote>अन्वाधेयं च यद्दत्तं पत्या प्रीतेन चैव यत् । पत्यौ जीवति वृत्तायाः प्रजायास्तद्धनं भवेत् । । ९.१९५ । ।
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... अप्रजायां अतीतायां भर्तुरेव तदिष्यते । । ९.१९६ । । ... अप्रजायां अतीतायां मातापित्रोस्तदिष्यते । । ९.१९७ । ।
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स्त्रियां तु यद्भवेद्वित्तं पित्रा दत्तं कथं चन । ब्राह्मणी तद्धरेत्कन्या तदपत्यस्य वा भवेत् । । ९.१९८ । ।<ref name=":1" />
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anvādheyaṁ ca yaddattaṁ patyā prītena caiva yat । patyau jīvati vr̥ttāyāḥ prajāyāstaddhanaṁ bhavet । । 9.195 । ।
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... aprajāyāṁ atītāyāṁ bhartureva tadiṣyate । । 9.196 । । ... aprajāyāṁ atītāyāṁ mātāpitrostadiṣyate । । 9.197 । ।
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striyāṁ tu yadbhavedvittaṁ pitrā dattaṁ kathaṁ cana । brāhmaṇī taddharetkanyā tadapatyasya vā bhavet । । 9.198 । ।</blockquote>In fact, the rule of succession to Stridhana that it would go to daughters alone is also hinted elsewhere in the Manusmrti.<ref name=":2" /><blockquote>मातुस्तु यौतकं यत्स्यात्कुमारीभाग एव सः ।...९.१३१<ref name=":1" /> mātustu yautakaṁ yatsyātkumārībhāga eva saḥ ।...9.131</blockquote>Here, the tern 'Yautaka' refers to the separate property of a woman; of which she alone is the sole owner. Thus, some apply it to what she receives at marriage. While some also apply it to the savings that a young woman makes out of what she receives from her husband for her clothing and ornaments and also for the household expenses.
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Gautama also adds that the property descends to her daughters who are unmarried and unsettled. Wherein, unsettled also stands for those who, though married are childless, and without any property of their own, not having obtained a footing in the house of their husbands.<ref name=":4" />
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Furthermore, Manusmrti clearly indicates that those relations who, in their folly, live on the properties of women, their conveyances and clothes (stridhana), are committing papa (पापम्) and thus, suffer downfall.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Ganganath Jha (1920-39), Manusmrti ([https://ia801603.us.archive.org/33/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.46010/2015.46010.Manusmrti--Vol-4.pdf Vol.4]), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.</ref><blockquote>स्त्रीधनानि तु ये मोहादुपजीवन्ति बान्धवाः । नारी यानानि वस्त्रं वा ते पापा यान्त्यधोगतिम् । । ३.५२ । ।<ref name=":0" /> ''strīdhanāni tu yē mōhādupajīvanti bāndhavāḥ । nārī yānāni vastraṁ vā tē pāpā yāntyadhōgatim । । 3.52 । ।''</blockquote>
 
=== संयुक्तकुटुम्बेषु स्त्रीणाम् अधिकाराः ॥ Rights of Women in Joint Family ===
 
=== संयुक्तकुटुम्बेषु स्त्रीणाम् अधिकाराः ॥ Rights of Women in Joint Family ===
 
Within the joint family, male members upto three lineal descendants form a coparcenary. Though women were not admitted to the membership of this coparcenary, they were members of the joint family. And thus, the law gave them the right to a share equal to 'one fourth of the share of the brothers' at partition though they were not given the right to compel partition.
 
Within the joint family, male members upto three lineal descendants form a coparcenary. Though women were not admitted to the membership of this coparcenary, they were members of the joint family. And thus, the law gave them the right to a share equal to 'one fourth of the share of the brothers' at partition though they were not given the right to compel partition.
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''samāṁśahāriṇī mātēti vacanāt mātr̥padasya jananīparatvāt na | sapatnīmātr̥paratvamapi sakr̥t śrutasya mukhyagauṇatvānupapatteḥ ||''</blockquote>Meaning: The expression 'mother' includes the step-mother, i.e., the other wives, if any, of the father. Their share was, however, liable to be reduced to the extent of stridhana in their possession.
 
''samāṁśahāriṇī mātēti vacanāt mātr̥padasya jananīparatvāt na | sapatnīmātr̥paratvamapi sakr̥t śrutasya mukhyagauṇatvānupapatteḥ ||''</blockquote>Meaning: The expression 'mother' includes the step-mother, i.e., the other wives, if any, of the father. Their share was, however, liable to be reduced to the extent of stridhana in their possession.
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Because of this rule, the rights of paternal grandmother or step-grandmother were also similar.
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Because of this rule, the rights of paternal grandmother or step-grandmother were also similar.<ref name=":2" /> Infact, the Manusmrti states that the property of a childless son shall be inherited by his mother. And in the absence of the mother, it shall be received by the father's mother.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>अनपत्यस्य पुत्रस्य माता दायं अवाप्नुयात् । मातर्यपि च वृत्तायां पितुर्माता हरेद्धनम् । । ९.२१७ । ।<ref name=":1" />
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anapatyasya putrasya mātā dāyaṁ avāpnuyāt । mātaryapi ca vr̥ttāyāṁ piturmātā hareddhanam । । 9.217 । ।</blockquote>
    
=== पुत्रीणाम् भगिनीरुपे अधिकारः ॥ Right of Daughters as Sisters ===
 
=== पुत्रीणाम् भगिनीरुपे अधिकारः ॥ Right of Daughters as Sisters ===
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aputro'nena vidhinā sutāṁ kurvīta putrikām । yadapatyaṁ bhavedasyāṁ tanmama syātsvadhākaram । । 9.127 । ।</blockquote>The text mentions Daksha Prajapati as an example for this case and thereby, it is held that one may have more than one Putrika.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>दशेत्यादिलिङ्गादानेकपुत्रिकाकरणमपीच्छन्ति ॥१२९<ref name=":5" /> daśetyādiliṅgādānekaputrikākaraṇamapīcchanti ॥129</blockquote>In this very context the Manusmrti emphasises that the son is one's own self and the daughter is equal to the son. And as long as she exists, especially as a Putrika, no one else can take the father's property.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>यथैवात्मा तथा पुत्रः पुत्रेण दुहिता समा । तस्यां आत्मनि तिष्ठन्त्यां कथं अन्यो धनं हरेत् । । ९.१३० । ।<ref name=":1" />  
 
aputro'nena vidhinā sutāṁ kurvīta putrikām । yadapatyaṁ bhavedasyāṁ tanmama syātsvadhākaram । । 9.127 । ।</blockquote>The text mentions Daksha Prajapati as an example for this case and thereby, it is held that one may have more than one Putrika.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>दशेत्यादिलिङ्गादानेकपुत्रिकाकरणमपीच्छन्ति ॥१२९<ref name=":5" /> daśetyādiliṅgādānekaputrikākaraṇamapīcchanti ॥129</blockquote>In this very context the Manusmrti emphasises that the son is one's own self and the daughter is equal to the son. And as long as she exists, especially as a Putrika, no one else can take the father's property.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>यथैवात्मा तथा पुत्रः पुत्रेण दुहिता समा । तस्यां आत्मनि तिष्ठन्त्यां कथं अन्यो धनं हरेत् । । ९.१३० । ।<ref name=":1" />  
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yathaivātmā tathā putraḥ putreṇa duhitā samā । tasyāṁ ātmani tiṣṭhantyāṁ kathaṁ anyo dhanaṁ haret । । 9.130 । ।</blockquote>Implying that if at the time of the father's death, the Putrika has no child, she cannot be denied the right to inherit her father's property.<ref name=":4" />
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yathaivātmā tathā putraḥ putreṇa duhitā samā । tasyāṁ ātmani tiṣṭhantyāṁ kathaṁ anyo dhanaṁ haret । । 9.130 । ।</blockquote>Implying that if at the time of the father's death, the Putrika has no child, she cannot be denied the right to inherit her father's property. But if a son happens to be born to her father after she has been declared as his Putrika (and thereby her son as her father's heir), the property is divided equally among the two.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>पुत्रिकायां कृतायां तु यदि पुत्रोऽनुजायते । समस्तत्र विभागः स्यात्.. । । ९.१३४ । ।<ref name=":1" />
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putrikāyāṁ kr̥tāyāṁ tu yadi putro'nujāyate । samastatra vibhāgaḥ syāt.. । । 9.134 । ।</blockquote>
    
== दण्डविधिः ॥ Quantum of Penalty ==
 
== दण्डविधिः ॥ Quantum of Penalty ==

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