Verse 9.200

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

पत्यौ जीवति यः स्त्रीभिरलङ्कारो धृतो भवेत् ।
न तं भजेरन् दायादा भजमानाः पतन्ति ते ॥ २०० ॥

patyau jīvati yaḥ strībhiralaṅkāro dhṛto bhavet |
na taṃ bhajeran dāyādā bhajamānāḥ patanti te || 200 ||

The ornament worn by the woman during her husband’s life-time, her heirs shall not divide; if they divide it, they become outcasts.—(200)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

(verses 9.182-201)

(No Bhāṣya available.)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Buhler mispresents Nandana, being misled by the wrong reading ‘bhartṛbhāve’ (while the husband lives) for ‘bhartrabhāve’ (on the death of the husband). There could be no division of the property by the heirs while the husband was alive.

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 686), which adds that ‘Dhṛtam’ means ‘possessed as her own private property, having been given to her as a loving present’;—and in Vyavahāramayūkha (p. 70), which explains ‘dhṛtam’ as ‘presented to her by her husband or other relatives and worn by her.’

It is quoted in Mitākṣarā (2.147) in support of the view that ‘if a woman has been living apart from her husband, her property shall not be taken by her heirs’;—in Vivādaratnākara (p. 509), which notes that the Prakāśa has stated that Medhātithi has explained the meaning to be that ‘the heirs shall not take even those ornaments that may have been worn by the woman with her husband’s consent, even though not actually given to her’;—in Aparārka (p. 752), which adds that this refers to such ornaments as have been worn by the woman constantly;—in Smṛtitattva II (p. 184), which also reproduces the aforesaid remark of Medhātithi, that an ornament worn by the woman with her husband’s consent becomes her property even though not actually given to her;—in Smṛtisāroddhāra (p. 332), which says that the phrase ‘dhṛto bhavet’ implies that what was not actually worn by her should be divided.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (17.22).—‘Ornaments worn by women during their husband’s life-time, the heirs shall not divide among themselves; if they divide them, they become outcasts.’

Āpastamba (Vivādaratnākara, p. 509)—‘The ornaments belong to the wife.’

Śaṅkha-Likhita (Do., p. 495).—‘When the property has been divided by the heirs, the ornaments and the nuptial presents of the mother shall be taken by her daughter.’

Baudhāyana (Do.).—‘The mother’s ornaments, as also other formal presents made to the mother, the daughter shall take.’