History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c29.47

v2.c29.47

It has been seen how women gradually lost the privilege of upanayana, of studying the Veda, of having all the saṃskāras performed with Vedic mantras and how they came to be regarded as entirely dependent on men. Their position became assimilated to that of the śūdras¹³⁹² in many matters. A few examples will be cited here. All *dvijātis* were to sip water thrice (*ācamana*) for purifying their body, but women and śūdras were to sip water only once for that purpose (Manu V. 139, Yāj. I. 21). The dvijātis were¹³⁹³ to take their bath to the accompaniment of Vedic mantras, while women and śūdras were to bathe silently. Śūdras and women were to perform what is called āmaśrāddha (i. e. śrāddha without cooked food).¹³⁹⁴ The same penance was prescribed for killing a śūdra or a woman (Baud. Dh. S. II. 1. 11-12, Parāśara VI. 16). Ordinarily women, children and very old men could not be witnesses (Yāj.