Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c20.s1.28

v2.c20.s1.28

The importance of woman in social and legal matters is seen in the right she has of offering the piṇḍa (or funeral cake at the śrāddha to deceased ancestors). In the Dāya-vibhāga of the Vyavahāra-kāṇḍa of the commentary of the Parāśara-smṛti by Mādhavāchārya Vidyāraṇya, he seems to acknowledge the classical privilege which was given to woman as regards the offering of the piṇḍa. This may explain why Mādhava says: "the wife is a woman who has been sanctified by marriage, she takes first the wealth of her husband."² In the above words Mādhavāchārya seems to go further, to some extent, than Manu himself who has qualified, according to the former, the right of woman thus: "Vṛiddha Manu mentions difference regarding this case: 'A wife (i.e., widow) who has no son, who preserves inviolate the bed of her husband, and is steadfast in her duty, should offer the piṇḍa for him and take the whole share'".³ Whatever may be the legal aspect of the question, there cannot be a doubt that from the times of Manu down to those of Mādhava, the importance of the (legal) wife, especially as regards inheritance, was acknowledged by the lawgivers.⁴