womeninworldhistory/TWR-05.html India’s most famous early legal code, The Laws of Manu were complied over the years between 200 - 400 C.E. While the position of women in early Vedic India had been good, these laws illustrate the efforts of the Brahmin elite to restrict women’s legal independence in this later period. “Women must always be honored and respected by the father, brother, husband and brothers-in-law who desire their own welfare.” “If the female members live in grief, the family is destroyed. If the female members are happy, the family flourishes in all directions.” “Women shall receive one-quarter share of the inheritance of their parents. If a man has no sons, his daughter may inherit everything he had.” “Brothers should give one-forth of their inheritance to their sisters for their sisters’ dowries.” “In childhood a female must be subject to her father, in youth to her husband, and when her lord is dead, to her sons; a woman must never be independent.” “A father sins unless he marries his daughter off when she reaches puberty.” “Women do not care for beauty, nor is their attention fixed on age; they give themselves to the handsome as well as to the ugly just for the fact that he is a man.” “A husband should be worshiped as a God.” “Even in the home nothing should be done by a child, a young or even an old wife (woman) independently.” “A wife, a son, and a slave, these three are declared to have no property. The wealth which they earn is acquired for him to whom they belong.” “Women, shudra (or sudra, lowest of four castes), dog and crow embody untruth, sin and darkness.” “Women must particularly be guarded against evil inclinations, however trifling they may appear to be; for, if they are not guarded, they will bring sorrow on both the families. Considering it the highest duty of all castes, even wealthy husbands must strive to guard their wives....lest the seed of others be sown on your soil.” “It is the nature of women to seduce men in this world, for that reason the wise never remain unguarded in the company of female.” “A woman should not go to a meeting place; and they should not dance like the young, but sit at their proper places.” “This is the first law...A wife cannot be dismissed from the marriage by a slave, separation or abdication.” “A man can leave a barren woman after eight years and one who only gives birth to daughters.” “A virtuous wife who after the death of her husband constantly remains chaste, reaches heaven, though she have no son, just like those chaste men.” “If a woman should happen to merely to overhear recitations of Vedic mantras by chance, hot molten glass should be poured into her ears.”
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 17:05:20 +0000
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