Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c9.s4.1

c9.s4.1

Kātyāyana prescribes death sentence for committing rape of a woman,¹⁸ while Āpastamba differs with him and suggests that a śūdra molesting an Āryan lady be hanged.¹⁹ There are differences and debatable issues on punishments for adultery. Manu recommends that an adulteress should be thrown to dogs for being eaten,²⁰ whereas Kātyāyana is again much more human and generous here also. He directs the king to see that such a woman is freed after the declaration of her act of adultery.