History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.345

v4.c63.t2.345

*Saudāyika* is not a special kind of strīdhana. It is rather a comprehensive term for several kinds of strīdhana as the definition given by Kāt. shows and as the V. C. (p. 139) expressly states¹⁵⁰³. It is almost synonymous with strīdhana in the technical sense. Acc. to most writers, it is wealth received by a woman, whether as a maiden or as a married woman, in her father's or husband's house from her parents or relatives of the father and mother. The Sm. C. II. p. 282 and V. R. p. 511 hold that saudāyika is all wealth obtained by a woman whether as a maiden or as a married woman from her mother, father or paternal relatives only, while the Dāyabhāga IV. 1. 23 pp. 76-77 and V. C. hold that *saudāyika* includes also all property donated by the husband except immovable property, which latter she cannot alienate even after her husband's death. There is a verse of Vyāsa¹⁵⁰⁴ that defines saudāyika similarly, 'whatever is obtained by a woman as a maiden at the time of marriage and after marriage from the house of her father or husband is termed saudāyika.' The word 'saudāyika' is derived from '*sudāya*' and means, according to the Dāyabhāga IV. 1. 22 p. 76, 'received from affectionate kindred'. The Amarakośa says that '*sudāya*' means 'gifts of yautaka and the like' and that saudāyaka is merely a derivative without change of meaning.¹⁵⁰⁵