History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.373.3

v4.c63.t2.373.3

hold that Kātyāyana's verse applies not only to the husband, but also to the son, father and brothers of the woman. Kāt. (912–913) provides1521a that if any one of the four persons (q. in n. 1515 above) forcibly consumes strīdhana he should be made to return it with interest and should be also liable to fine (or punishment) and that if any one of these consumes strīdhana amicably after securing her consent then he would be liable to return only the principal amount, when he becomes well-off (i. e. able to pay). Devala¹⁵²² also states, 'if the husband makes a gift of strīdhana without cause or enjoys it, he must pay it back with interest, but he may use the strīdhana of his wife for relieving the distress of a son (and also of the family, acc. to V. Mayūkha). Kāt. (908)¹⁵²³ adds a special rule, 'if the husband has two wives and he does not reside with one of them (i. e. neglects her), he should be forcibly made to return (the strīdhana of his neglected wife) by the king even though she bestowed it upon him through affection.' The texts of Kāt., Devala and Nār. quoted above about the dominion of the woman over her strīdhana and about the husband's power over it are authoritative in all schools even now. Manu IX. 199¹⁵²⁴ provides: ‘wives should not spend (for their own benefit) from the property of their families which is common to many, nor from their own property without the husband's permission.’ The V.