History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.436

v4.c63.t2.436

The liability to provide maintenance for certain persons arises under the ancient Hindu Law in either of two ways viz. (1) on account of bare relationship between the parties or (2) on the ground of the possession of property. A verse¹⁵⁵⁹ quoted by Medhātithi on Manu III. 72 and IV. 251, by the Mit. on Yāj. I. 224 and II. 175 and occurring in some mss. of the Manusmṛti after XI. 10 provides, 'Manu declares that one must maintain one's aged parents, a virtuous wife and a minor son by doing even a hundred bad acts.' From this verse it follows that irrespective of the possession of property there is a personal legal obligation on the father to maintain his minor son, on the husband to maintain his wife and on the son to maintain his aged parents. Baud. Dh. S. (II. 2. 48) goes further and provides¹⁵⁶⁰ that a son is bound to maintain a mother even if she be *patita*. To the same effect are Āp. Dh. S. I. 10. 28. 9 and Vas. 13. 47.