Administrative System of the Marathas c25.s3.22

c25.s3.22

Manu's punishment for this not unnatural offence was very horrible indeed. "If a wife, proud of the greatness of her relatives or her own excellence, violates the duty which she owes to her lord, the king shall cause her to be devoured by dogs in a place frequented by many."²⁵ We do not know whether this law was ever put into practice by the ancient Hindus, it was not in use in the Maratha days. Though the Peshwas on some rare occasions condemned a troublesome rebel to be trampled to death by an infuriated elephant, we do not know any instance of a misguided woman being thrown to hungry dogs.