The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c13.39

c13.39

That women could excersise absolute control over such gifts, which constituted their Strīdhana, was a principle that came to be recognised fairly early in Hindu society. There were no doubt archaic texts which declared that wives, like sons and slaves, could own no property; whatever they acquired would be the property of their husbands¹. Commentators, however, boldly declared that these texts had no application to the present age. It is interesting to note that even writers like Baudhāyana, who refuse to recognise the wife's right of inheritance, freely concede her title to Strīdhana². Manu also does the same, though he does not recognise the widow as an heir to her husband. It is needless to add that writers like Vishṇu and Yājñavalkya, who recognise the widow as an heir, naturally concede proprietary rights to women over Strīdhana. All later writers do the same.