The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c14.s1.13

c14.s1.13

By about 200 B. C. girls ceased to be educated and began to be married at an early age. There was a general deterioration in the status of women, who were gradually losing their religious privileges. All this tended to adversely affect the proprietary rights of the daughter. A school came into existence which opposed her right of inheritance, even when she had no brothers. Āpastamba reluctantly allows a daughter to inherit, but only if there is no agnate, or teacher or pupil to claim the property. This was a very remote possibility, for agnates include relations upto the 7th degree. He would rather prefer the property to be given to a public cause than to a daughter¹. Vasiṣṭha (XV, 7) and Gautama (XXVIII, 21) do not mention the daughter in the list of their heirs. The same is the case with Manu².