Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c20.s1.14

v2.c20.s1.14

desires".¹ As regards the invalidity of documents executed by women, we have the following in the *Institutes of Vishnu*: "Nor one executed by a woman, or a child, or a dependant person or one intoxicated or insane, or one in danger or in bodily fear".² Manu restricts woman as regards giving witness, thus: "Women should give evidence for women, and for twice-born men, twice-born men (of the) same kind, virtuous Śūdras, for Śūdras, and men of the lowest casts for the lowest".³ Vishnu clearly says: "The king cannot be (made a witness); nor a learned Brāhmaṇa nor an ascetic; nor a gamester; nor a thief, nor a person not his own master; nor a woman; nor a child. . ."⁴