The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c17.152

v1.c17.152

On the whole, there seems to have been some decline in this period in the position of women: as has been seen, in one of the Sūtra texts her wergeld is assimilated to that of a Çūdra and her lack of proprietary power must have tended to decrease her prestige. The polygamy of the kings is now fully established; and, presumably, the practice of the sovereigns was followed by the richer of their subjects. In a number of passages in the Brāhmaṇas it has been sought to find proof that female morality was not highly estimated; but this cannot be established; and it is a mistake to suppose that the exposure of female children was practised. On the other hand, the preference for sons becomes more and more pronounced: 'a daughter is a source of misery, a son a light in the highest heaven.' Generally speaking, the increased complexity of society seems to have been accompanied by an increase of crime and moral laxity, as appears from the curious litany in the Yajurvedas where Rudra is hailed as the protector of every kind of thief and ruffian.