10. Women

Vasiṣṭha

अस्वतन्त्रा स्त्री पुरुषप्रधाना ॥1 अनग्निकानुदक्या वामृतमिति विज्ञायते ॥2 अथाप्युदाहरन्ति । पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने । पुत्रश्च स्थविरे भावे न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यमर्हतीति ॥3 तस्या भर्तुरभिचार उक्तं प्रायश्चित्तं रहस्येषु ॥4 मासि मासि रजो ह्यासां दुष्कृतान्यपकर्षति ॥5

1 A woman cannot act independently; she is under the authority of the man. 2 "A woman who is neither a girl running naked nor in her menstrual period,” it is stated, “is ambrosia.” 3 Now, they also quote: “Her father takes care of her in her childhood; her husband takes care of her in her youth; and her son takes care of her in her old age. A woman is not fit to act independently.” 4 The penance for her being unfaithful to her husband has been declared in the secret penances: 5 “For month after month their menstrual flow washes away their sins.” [Va 5.1–5]

त्रीणि स्त्रियाः पातकानि लोके धर्मविदो विदुः । भर्तुर्वधो भ्रूणहत्या स्वस्य गर्भस्य पातनम् ॥7

7 There are three things in the world, people who know the Law declare, that cause women to fall from their caste: killing the husband, murdering a Brahmin, and getting an abortion. [Va 28.7]

Āpastamba

माता पुत्रत्वस्य भूयांसि कर्माण्यारभते । तस्यां शुश्रूषा नित्या पतितायामपि ॥9 न तु धर्मसंनिपातः स्यात् ॥10

9 A mother does countless things to bring about male progeny. So, even if she has fallen from her caste, he must always serve her, 10 but not let her participate in any of his religious activities. [A 1.28.9–10]

---

Gautama

आचार्यः श्रेष्ठो गुरूणाम् ॥50 मातेत्येके ॥51

50 The teacher is the foremost of his elders; 51 according to some, the mother. [G 2.50–1]

---

Baudhāyana

पतितामपि तु मातरं बिभृयादनभिभाषमाणः ॥42

42 Even if she has become an outcaste, however, a man should support his own mother, but without speaking with her. [B 2.3.42]

---

Vasiṣṭha

अथाप्युदाहरन्ति । उपाध्यायाद्दशाचार्य आचार्याणां शतं पिता । पितुर्दशशतं माता गौरवेणातिरिच्यते ॥48

48 Now, they also quote: "A teacher is ten times more eminent than a tutor; a father is a hundred times more eminent than a teacher; and a mother is a thousand times more eminent than a father." [Va 13.48]

Āpastamba

पतिवयसः स्त्रियः ॥21

21 [Wives should be greeted] according to the age of their husbands. [A 1.14.21]

भार्यायां परमगुरुसंस्थायां चाकालमभोजनम् ॥5 आतुरव्यञ्जनानि कुर्वीरन् ॥6

5 At the death of a wife or a principal elder, people should fast from the time of death until the same time the next day 6 and display the signs of mourning. [A 2.15.5–6]

सगोत्रस्थानीयां न परेभ्यः समाचक्षीत ॥2 कुलाय हि स्त्री प्रदीयत इत्युपदिशन्ति ॥3 तदिन्द्रियदौर्बल्याद्विप्रतिपन्नम् ॥4 अविशिष्टं हि परत्वं पाणेः ॥5

2 "A man should not introduce to an outsider the woman who has assumed his lineage, 3 for a wife is given to the family”—so they admonish. 4 That is now forbidden because of the weakness of the flesh, 5 for with respect to the husband all are equally outsiders. [A 2.27.2–5]

दधिधानीसधर्मा स्त्री भवति ॥13 यो हि दधिधान्यामप्रयतं पय आतच्य मन्थति न तेन धर्मकृत्यं क्रियते । एवमशुचिशुक्रं यन्निर्वर्तते न तेन सह संप्रयोगो विद्यते ॥14

13 A wife is comparable to a curd-pot, 14 for if someone were to put impure milk into a curd-pot and mix in the curdling substance, that curd cannot be used for ritual purposes. In like manner, there can be no association with what is produced by the semen of a sordid man. [A 1.29.13–14]

---

Gautama

अस्वतन्त्रा धर्मे स्त्री ॥1 नातिचरेद्भर्तारम् ॥2 वाक्चक्षुःकर्मसंयता ॥3

1 A wife cannot act independently in matters relating to the Law. 2 She should never go against her husband 3 and keep her speech, eyes, and actions under strict control. [G 18.1–3]

नष्टे भर्तरि षड्वार्षिकं क्षपणं श्रूयमाणेऽभिगमनम् ॥15 प्रव्रजिते तु निवृत्तिः प्रसङ्गात् ॥16 द्वादश वर्षाणि ब्राह्मणस्य विद्यासंबन्धे ॥17

15 If her husband is missing, she shall wait for six years. If he is heard from, she shall go to him. 16 If her husband becomes an ascetic, on the other hand, she shall give up all attachments. 17 When a Brahmin has gone away to study the Veda, his wife should wait for twelve years. [G 18.15–17]

---

Baudhāyana

भर्तृहिते यतमानाः स्वर्गं लोकं जयेरन् ॥47 व्यतिक्रमे कृच्छ्रः ॥48 शूद्रे चान्द्रायणं चरेत् ॥49 वैश्यादिषु प्रतिलोमं कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रादींश्चरेत् ॥50 पुंसां ब्राह्मणादीनां संवत्सरं ब्रह्मचर्यम् ॥51 शूद्रं कटाग्निना दहेत् ॥52 अथाप्युदाहरन्ति ॥53 अब्राह्मणस्य शारीरो दण्डः संग्रहणे भवेत् ॥1 सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां दारा रक्ष्यतमा धनात् ॥2 न तु चारणदारेषु न रङ्गावतरे वधः । संसर्जयन्ति ता ह्येतानत्रिगुप्तांश्चालयन्त्यपि ॥3 स्त्रियः पवित्रमतुलं नैता दुष्यन्ति कर्हिचित् । मासि मासि रजो ह्यासां दुरितान्यपकर्षति ॥4

47 If women strive to do what is beneficial to their husbands, they will win the heavenly world. 48 When she is unfaithful, she should perform an arduous penance. 49 If it is with a Śūdra man, she should perform a lunar penance. 50 If it is with a Vaiśya and so forth in the reverse order of classes, she should perform the penance beyond the very arduous penance, and so forth. 51 Brahmin and other male offenders should observe chastity for one year, 52 whereas a guilty Śūdra man should be burnt with a straw-fire. 53 Now, they also quote: 1 “Everybody except a Brahmin is subject to corporal punishment for adultery. 2 People of all four classes should guard their wives more closely than their wealth. 3 There is no corporal punishment, however, when the adultery involves actresses or the wives of minstrels, for such women lure these men and stir even people with great self-control. 4 Women have an unparalleled means of purification and they never become sullied, for month after month their menstrual flow washes away their sins.” [B 2.3.47–53; 2.4.1–4]

दधिधानीसधर्माः स्त्रियः स्युः । यो हि दधिधान्यामप्रयतं पय आतच्य मन्थति न तच्छिष्टा धर्मकृत्येषूपयोजयन्ति ॥22 एवमशुचिशुक्रं यन्निर्वर्तते न तेन सह संप्रयोगो विद्यते ॥23

22 Wives are comparable to curd-pots, for if someone were to put impure milk into a curd-pot and mix in the curdling substance, cultured people do not use it for ritual purposes. 23 In like manner, there can be no association with what is produced by the semen of a sordid man. [B 2.2.22–23]

Gautama

बीजं वा लिप्सेत ॥22 देवरवत्यामन्यजातमभागम् ॥23

22 Alternatively, a widow may seek to procure a son. 23 When her brother-in-law is alive, a son born to such a widow by another person does not share in the inheritance. [G 28.22–3]

---

Baudhāyana

संवत्सरं प्रेतपत्नी मधुमांसमद्यलवणानि वर्जयेदधः शयीत ॥7 षण्मासानिति मौद्गल्यः ॥8

7 When her husband dies, a wife should abstain from honey, meat, liquor, and salt, and sleep on the floor for one year; 8 for six months, according to Maudgalya. [B 2.4.7–8]

---

Vasiṣṭha

प्रेतपत्नी षण्मासान् व्रतचारिण्यक्षारलवणं भुञ्जानाधः शयीत ॥55 ऊर्ध्वं षड्भ्यो मासेभ्यः स्नात्वा श्राद्धं च पत्ये दत्त्वा विद्याकर्मगुरुयोनिसंबन्धान् संनिपात्य पिता भ्राता वा नियोगं कारयेत् ॥56 न सोन्मादामवशां व्याधितां वा नियुञ्ज्यात् ॥57 ज्यायसीमपि ॥58 षोडश वर्षाणि ॥59 न चेदामयावी स्यात् ॥60

55 The wife of a deceased man should sleep on the floor for six months, observing her vow and eating food without salt or seasonings. 56 After the completion of the six months, she should bathe and make a funeral offering to her husband. Then the father or the brother should assemble the elders who taught or performed rites for the deceased person and his relatives and get them to appoint her for levirate. 57 One should not appoint a widow who is deranged, barren, or sick, 58 as also one who is very old—59 the age limit is to sixteen years from puberty. 60 Nor should she be appointed if the man with whom she should cohabit is sickly. [Va 17.55–60]

Āpastamba

ब्रह्माध्येष्यमाणो मलवद्वाससेच्छन् संभाषितुं ब्राह्मणेन संभाष्य तया संभाषेत । संभाष्य तु ब्राह्मणेनेव संभाष्याधीयीत । एवं तस्याः प्रजानिःश्रेयसम् ॥13

13 If he wants to speak with a menstruating woman when he is about to recite the Veda, he should first speak with a Brahmin and then speak with her. After he has spoken with her, however, he should speak again with a Brahmin and then recite the Veda. In this way the child she bears will prosper. [A 1.9.13]

आत्रेयीं च स्त्रियम् ॥9

9 (One who kills) a Brahmin woman soon after her menstrual period (becomes a heinous sinner). [A 1.24.9]

---

Gautama

नारीमभिरमयेन्नाकल्यां ॥28 न रजस्वलाम् ॥29 न चैनां श्लिष्येत् ॥30

28 He should not have intercourse with a woman when she is indisposed 29 or having her period, 30 or embrace her when she is in that state. [G 9.28–30]

पतितचण्डालसूतिकोदक्याशवस्पृष्टितत्स्पृष्ट्युपस्पर्शने सचेलोदकोपस्पर्शनाच्छुध्येत् ॥30

30 When a man touches an outcaste, a Cāṇḍāla, a woman who has just given birth or is menstruating, a corpse, or someone who has touched any of these, he becomes purified by bathing with clothes on. [G 14.30]

रजस्वला ... उपहतम् ॥10

10 (Food) that has been touched by a menstruating woman (is unfit to be eaten). [G 17.10]

उदक्यागमने त्रिरात्रः ॥34

34 (He should perform an arduous penance) for three days, if he has sex with a woman during her menstrual period. [G 23.34]

ऋत्वन्तरारमण उदकोपस्पर्शनाच्छुद्धिमेके ॥4 एके स्त्रीषु ॥5

4 A man who has sex with a woman during her menstrual period, according to some, is purified by bathing, 5 while, according to others, this applies only when the woman is his wife. [G 24.4–5]

---

Baudhāyana

स्त्रियः पवित्रमतुलं नैता दुष्यन्ति कर्हिचित् । मासि मासि रजो ह्यासां दुरितान्यपकर्षति ॥4 सोमः शौचं ददौ तासां गन्धर्वः शिक्षितां गिरम् । अग्निश्च सर्वभक्षत्वं तस्मान्निष्कल्मषाः स्त्रियः ॥5

4 Women possess an unparalleled means of purification; they never become sullied, for their month after month menstrual flow washes away their sins. 5 The Moon granted them purification; Gandharva, a sweet voice; and Fire, the capacity to eat anything. Women, therefore, are free from taint. [B 2.4.4–5]

ऋतुमत्यां च ॥34 यस्ततो जायते सोऽभिशस्त इति व्याख्यातान्यस्यै व्रतानि ॥35

34 The same [impurity for three days] is true in the case of a menstruating woman; 35 the observances for her are explained in the passage: "A son born from such a woman is a heinous sinner". [B 1.11.34–5]

त्रीणि वर्षाण्यृतुमतीं यो भार्यां नाधिगच्छति । स तुल्यं भ्रूणहत्यायै दोषमृच्छत्यसंशयम् ॥17 ऋतुस्नातां तु यो भार्यां संनिधौ नोपगच्छति । पितरस्तस्य तं मासं तस्मिन् रजसि शेरते ॥18 ऋतौ नोपैति यो भार्यामनृतौ यश्च गच्छति । तुल्यमाहुस्तयोर्दोषमयोनौ यश्च सिञ्चति ॥19 भर्तुः प्रतिनिवेशेन या भार्या स्कन्दयेदृतुम् । तां ग्राममध्ये विख्याप्य भ्रूणघ्नीं निर्धमेद् गृहात् ॥20 ऋतुस्नातां न चेद् गच्छेन्नियतां धर्मचारिणीम् । नियमातिक्रमे तस्य प्राणायामशतं स्मृतम् ॥21

17 If a man does not have sexual intercourse for three years with his wife who menstruates, he incurs a guilt equal to that of performing an abortion. 18 If a man does not have sexual intercourse with his wife after she has taken the bath that concludes her menstrual period when she is nearby, his ancestors will lie during that month in her menstrual discharge. 19 One who does not have sex with his wife during her season, and one who has sex with her outside her season, as also one who deposits his semen in a place other than the vagina—they all incur the same guilt. 20 When a wife suppresses her menstrual periods out of antipathy towards her husband, he should bring her to the middle of the village, declare her to be an abortionist, and drive her away from his house. 21 If a man does not have sexual intercourse with his virtuous and disciplined wife after she has taken the bath that concludes her menstrual period, for that transgression he should control his breath one hundred times. [B 4.1.17–21]

---

Vasiṣṭha

रजसा शुध्यते नारी नदी वेगेन शुध्यति । भस्मना शुध्यते कांस्यं ताम्रमम्लेन शुध्यति ॥58

58 A woman is purified by her menstrual flow, a river by its current, brass with ash, and copper with an acidic cleanser. [Va 3.58]

यूपचितिश्मशानरजस्वलासूतिकाशुचींश्च स्पृष्ट्वा सशिरस्कोऽभ्युपेयादप इति ॥38

38 If someone touches a sacrificial post, a pyre, a cemetery, a menstruating woman, a woman who has just given birth, and sordid men, he should enter water, submerging his body and head under water. [Va 4.38]

न मलिनवाससा सह संवसेत् ॥5

5 He should not have sex with a menstruating woman. [Va 12.5]

ब्राह्मणीं चात्रेयीं हत्वा सवनगतौ च राजन्यवैश्यौ ॥34 आत्रेयीं वक्ष्यामः । रजस्वलामृतुस्नातामात्रेयीमाहुः ॥35 अत्र ह्येष्यदपत्यं भवतीति ॥36

34 If someone kills a Brahmin woman who is an Ātreyī or a Kṣatriya or a Vaiśya engaged in performing a sacrifice [the penance is the same as for a Brahmin]. 35 We will explain who an Ātreyī is. They say that "Ātreyī" is a woman who has bathed after her menstrual period, 36 for in her (atra) the future (i-) offspring comes into being. [Va 20.34–6]

तस्या भर्तुरभिचार उक्तं प्रायश्चित्तं रहस्येषु ॥4 मासि मासि रजो ह्यासां दुष्कृतान्यपकर्षति ॥5 त्रिरात्रं रजस्वलाशुचिर्भवति ॥6 सा नाञ्ज्यात् । नाभ्यञ्ज्यात् । नाप्सु स्नायात् । अधः शयीत। न दिवा स्वप्यात् । नाग्निं स्पृशेत्। न रज्जुं सृजेत्। न दन्तान्धावयेत्। न मांसमश्नीयात्। न ग्रहान्निरीक्षेत् । न हसेत्। न किंचिदाचरेत् । न खर्वेण पिबेदञ्जलिना वा पिबेदखर्वेण वा पात्रेण लोहितायसेन वा ॥7 विज्ञायते हि। इन्द्रस्त्रिशीर्षाणं त्वाष्ट्रं हत्वा पाप्मगृहीतो महत्तमाधर्मसंबद्धोऽहमित्येवमात्मानममन्यत। तं सर्वाणि भूतान्यभ्यक्रोशन् भ्रूणहन्भ्रूणहन्निति । स स्त्रिय उपाधावदस्यै मे भ्रूणहत्यायै तृतीयं भागं प्रतिगृह्णीतेति । ता अब्रुवन्किं नो भूयादिति । सोऽब्रवीद्वरं वृणीध्वमिति। ता अब्रुवन्नृतौ प्रजां विन्दामह इति काममा विजनितोः संभवामेति । तथेति ताः प्रतिजगृहुः । सैषा भ्रूणहत्या मासि मास्याविर्भवति । तस्माद्रजस्वलाया अन्नं नाश्नीयाद्भ्रूणहत्याया एवैषा रूपं प्रतिमुच्यास्ते । तदाहुः । अञ्जनाभ्यञ्जनमेवास्या न प्रतिग्राह्यं तद्धि स्त्रिया अन्नमिति ॥8 तस्मात् तस्या अन्नं न बीभत्सन्ते मैवं मेधमुपागादिति ॥9 उदक्यास्त्वासते येषां ये च केचिदनग्नयः । कुलं चाश्रोत्रियं येषां सर्वे ते शूद्रधर्मिण इति ॥10

4 The penance for her being unfaithful to her husband has been declared in the secret penances: 5 "For month after month their menstrual flow washes away their sins." 6 A menstruating woman remains impure for three days. 7 She should not apply collyrium on her eyes or oil on her body, or bathe in water; she should sleep on the floor and not sleep during the day; she should not touch the fire, make a rope, brush her teeth, eat meat, or look at the planets; she should not laugh or do any work; and she should not drink from a damaged cup. She may drink from her cupped hands, from an undamaged cup, or from a copper vessel 8 For it is stated: "Indra, after he had killed the three-headed son of Tvaṣṭṛ, was seized by sin, and he regarded himself in this manner: 'An exceedingly great guilt attaches to me.' And all creatures railed against him: 'Brahmin-killer! Brahmin-killer!' He ran to the women and said: 'Take over one-third of this my guilt of killing a Brahmin.' They asked: 'What will we get?' He replied: 'Make a wish.' They said: 'Let us obtain offspring during our season, and let us enjoy sexual intercourse freely until we give birth.' He replied: 'So be it!' And they took the guilt upon themselves. That guilt of killing a Brahmin manifests itself every month. Therefore, one should not eat the food of a menstruating woman, for such a woman has put on the aspect of the guilt of killing a Brahmin. Now, they say: 'One should never accept collyrium or oil from such a woman, because for women that is food.'" 9 Therefore, people do not shrink from her food. Lest, in this manner, such a woman approach a sacrifice: 10 "People in whose homes menstruating women participate in ritual activities, people who do not maintain the sacred fires, and people in whose family there hasn't been a Vedic scholar—all these are equal to Śūdras." [Va 5.4–10]

न स्त्री दुष्यति जारेण न विप्रो वेदकर्मणा । नापो मूत्रपुरीषेण नाग्निर्दहनकर्मणा ॥1 स्वयं विप्रतिपन्ना वा यदि वा विप्रवासिता । बलात्कारोपभुक्ता वा चोरहस्तगतापि वा ॥2 न त्याज्या दूषिता नारी नास्यास्त्यागो विधीयते । पुष्पकालमुपासीत ऋतुकालेन शुध्यति ॥3 स्त्रियः पवित्रमतुलं नैता दुष्यन्ति कर्हिचित् । मासि मासि रजो ह्यासां दुष्कृतान्यपकर्षति ॥4 पूर्वं स्त्रियः सुरैर्भुक्ताः सोमगन्धर्ववह्निभिः । गच्छन्ति मानुषान्पश्चान्नैता दुष्यन्ति धर्मतः ॥5 तासां सोमोऽददच्छौचं गन्धर्वः शिक्षितां गिरम् । अग्निश्च सर्वभक्षत्वं तस्मान्निष्कल्मषाः स्त्रियः ॥6 त्रीणि स्त्रियाः पातकानि लोके धर्मविदो विदुः । भर्तुर्वधो भ्रूणहत्या स्वस्य गर्भस्य पातनम् ॥7 वत्सः प्रस्रवणे मेध्यः शकुनिः फलपातने । स्त्रियश्च रतिसंसर्गे श्वा मृगग्रहणे शुचिः ॥8 अजाश्वा मुखतो मेध्या गावो मेध्यास्तु पृष्ठतः । ब्राह्मणाः पादतो मेध्याः स्त्रियो मेध्यास्तु सर्वतः ॥9

1 A woman is not polluted by a lover, a Brahmin by vedic rites, water by urine and feces, and fire by the act of burning. 2–3 Whether she has strayed on her own or has been expelled, whether she has been raped forcibly or abducted by robbers—she should not be forsaken. Such a woman is not defiled, and it is not permitted to forsake her. One should wait for her to menstruate; she is purified by her menstrual period, 4 Women possess an unparalleled means of purification; they never become sullied, for month after month their menstrual flow washes away their sins. 5 Women are first enjoyed by the gods Moon, Gandharva, and Fire, and only thereafter go to men; in accordance with the Law, therefore, they cannot be defiled. 6 The Moon granted them purification; Gandharva, a sweet voice; and Fire, the capacity to eat anything. Women, therefore, are free from taint. 7 “There are three things in the world, people who know the Law declare, that cause women to fall from their caste: killing the husband, murdering a Brahmin, and getting an abortion.” 8 A calf is pure when it makes the milk to flow, a bird when it makes a fruit to fall, women in the act of love, and a dog when it catches a deer. 9 Pure is the mouth of a goat and horse; pure the back of a cow; pure are the feet of a Brahmin: but a woman is pure all over. [Va 28.1–9]