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Line 52: − + − − No father who knows (the law) must take even the smallest benefaction of his daughter; for the one who, through greed, takes a benefaction, is a seller of his offspring. − − But those relations, who in their folly live on the separate property of women, (Ex: appropriate) the beasts of burden, carriages, and cloths of women, commit papa (पापम्) and suffer a downfall. − − Even now when civilization has advanced greatly and women 's performance in every field of activity is excellent, - in many cases they have surpassed men, their responsibility to be mothers and to look after the interests of children and to make them good citizens has not decreased but has increased. Still on account of the evil propensities of man towards women, they require protection against onslaught. −
Rights of Women (स्त्रीत्वाधिकारः) (view source)
Revision as of 23:09, 28 June 2021
, 23:09, 28 June 2021→Misuse or dependence of the property of women prohibited: Editing
Manusmrti says, <blockquote>पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने । रक्षन्ति स्थविरे पुत्रा न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यं अर्हति । । ९.३ । ।<ref name=":1">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 9].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''pitā rakṣati kaumāre bhartā rakṣati yauvane । rakṣanti sthavire putrā na strī svātantryaṁ arhati । । 9.3 । ।''</blockquote>Meaning: Father protects the girl in her childhood, husband protects her after [[Vivaha (विवाहः)|marriage]] and her sons protect her in old age. At no stage should a woman be left free.
Manusmrti says, <blockquote>पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने । रक्षन्ति स्थविरे पुत्रा न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यं अर्हति । । ९.३ । ।<ref name=":1">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 9].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''pitā rakṣati kaumāre bhartā rakṣati yauvane । rakṣanti sthavire putrā na strī svātantryaṁ arhati । । 9.3 । ।''</blockquote>Meaning: Father protects the girl in her childhood, husband protects her after [[Vivaha (विवाहः)|marriage]] and her sons protect her in old age. At no stage should a woman be left free.
The last part of the above verse has become the basis for the criticism levelled against Manusmrti that it necessitates women to live like slaves of men throughout their life. However, by nature womanhood is tender. There are many situations in which women/girls require greater care, protection and security. They are vulnerable to various kinds of onslaughts when left unprotected. And that is the basis for the above verse of Manusmrti. It does not mean that woman must be kept without freedom. Such an interpretation runs counter to the verse, which says that the house in which women are insulted and shed tears gets destroyed.
The last part of the above verse has become the basis for the criticism levelled against Manusmrti that it necessitates women to live like slaves of men throughout their life. However, by nature womanhood is tender. There are many situations in which women/girls require greater care, protection and security. They are vulnerable to various kinds of onslaughts when left unprotected. Even now, when civilization has advanced greatly and women's' performance in every field of activity is excellent, they require protection against onslaught. And that is the basis for the above verse of Manusmrti. It does not mean that woman must be kept without freedom. Such an interpretation runs counter to the verse, which says that the house in which women are insulted and shed tears gets destroyed.
In fact, in the earlier section of the article, the respect and regard extended to women in Manusmrti, that precede the above mentioned verse in the text of Manusmrti, has already been referenced. Therefore, it is imperative to revisit the meaning and purpose of the above verse which rather is 'a woman requires and is entitled to protection in every stage of life'. Correspondingly, it is the duty of the father, the husband and the sons to look after the daughter, the wife and the mother respectively.
In fact, in the earlier section of the article, the respect and regard extended to women in Manusmrti, that precede the above mentioned verse in the text of Manusmrti, has already been referenced. Therefore, it is imperative to revisit the meaning and purpose of the above verse which rather is 'a woman requires and is entitled to protection in every stage of life'. Correspondingly, it is the duty of the father, the husband and the sons to look after the daughter, the wife and the mother respectively.
=== Misuse or dependence of the property of women prohibited ===
=== Misuse or dependence of the property of women prohibited ===
<blockquote>न कन्यायाः पिता विद्वान्गृह्णीयाच्छुल्कं अण्वपि । गृह्णञ् शुल्कं हि लोभेन स्यान्नरोऽपत्यविक्रयी । । ३.५१ । ।</blockquote><blockquote>स्त्रीधनानि तु ये मोहादुपजीवन्ति बान्धवाः । नारी यानानि वस्त्रं वा ते पापा यान्त्यधोगतिम् । । ३.५२ । ।<ref name=":0">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''na kanyāyāḥ pitā vidvāngr̥hṇīyācchulkaṁ aṇvapi । gr̥hṇañ śulkaṁ hi lōbhēna syānnarō'patyavikrayī । । 3.51 । ।''</blockquote><blockquote>''strīdhanāni tu yē mōhādupajīvanti bāndhavāḥ । nārī yānāni vastraṁ vā tē pāpā yāntyadhōgatim । । 3.52 । ।''</blockquote>Meaning :
The Manusmrti clearly indicates that those relations who, in their folly, live on the properties of women (stridhana), their conveyances and clothes, are commiting 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">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''strīdhanāni tu yē mōhādupajīvanti bāndhavāḥ । nārī yānāni vastraṁ vā tē pāpā yāntyadhōgatim । । 3.52 । ।''</blockquote>
=== Stridhana ===
=== Stridhana ===
Every property movable or immoveable, given to a woman by anyone constitutes her own absolute property. 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.
Every property movable or immoveable, given to a woman by anyone constitutes her own absolute property. 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.