History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t1.162.4

v4.c63.t1.162.4

that is, they were prepared to hold that the grandmother succeeding to her grandson who died unmarried could not make a valid adoption and allowed the grandfather and his ancestors to remain without the religious benefits that a son adopted by the grandmother would have conferred (in spite of the 9th chapter of Manu on which they rely in Amarendra's case). According to the recent rulings any widow whose husband died a member of a joint Hindu family may adopt *at any time* even when the other members become separate and may remain separate for 50 years or more and yet a large slice of the estate may be taken away after several generations have succeeded, laboured and acquired a vast estate. Further, it is not clear how far the P. C. will go in their solicitude for the adopted son. Suppose three brothers separate and one of them sells the property that came to his share. If the partition is to be opened for the benefit of a son subsequently adopted by a predeceased member's widow, will the purchaser be affected or not (supposing the sale is within 12 years of the adoption)?