13. Inheritance
i. General
Āpastamba
एकधनेन ज्येष्ठं तोषयित्वा ॥12 जीवन् पुत्रेभ्यो दायं विभजेत् समं क्लीबम् उन्मत्तं पतितं च परिहाप्य ॥1 पुत्रअभावे यः प्रत्यासन्नः सपिण्डः ॥2 तदभाव आचार्य आचार्यअभावे ऽअन्तेवासी हृत्वा तदर्थेषु धर्मकृत्येषु वाउपयोजयेत् ॥3 दुहिता वा ॥4 सर्वअभावे राजा दायं हरेत ॥5 ज्येष्ठो दायाद इत्य् एके ॥6 देशविशेषे सुवर्णम् कृष्णा गावः कृष्णं भौमं ज्येष्ठस्य ॥7 रथः पितुः परीभाण्डं च गृहे ॥8 अलंकारो भार्याया ज्ञातिधनं चैत्य् एके ॥9 तत्शास्त्रैर् विप्रतिषिद्धम् ॥10 मनुः पुत्रेभ्यो दायं व्यभजद् इत्य् अविशेषेण श्रूयते ॥11 अथअपि तस्मात्ज्येष्ठं पुत्रं धनेन निरवसाययन्तिइत्य् एकवत्श्रूयते ॥12 अथअपि नित्यअनुवादम् अविधिम् आहुर् न्यायविदो यथा तस्माद् अजावयः पशूनां सह चरन्तिइति तस्मात् स्नातकस्य मुखं रेभायतिइव तस्माद् बस्तश् च श्रोत्रियश् च स्त्रीकामतमाव् इति ॥13 सर्वे हि धर्मयुक्ता भागिनः ॥14 यः त्व् अधर्मेण द्रव्याणि प्रतिपादयति ज्येष्ठो ऽअपि तम् अभागं कुर्वीत ॥15 जायाअपत्योर् न विभागो विद्यते ॥16 पाणिग्रहणाधि सहत्वं कर्मसु ॥17 तथा पुण्यफलेषु ॥18 द्रव्यपरिग्रहेषु च ॥19 न हि भर्तुर् विप्रवासे नैमित्तिके दाने स्तेयम् उपदिशन्ति ॥20
12 After gratifying the eldest with a choice portion of wealth, 1 he should, while he is still alive, divide his estate equally among his sons, excluding those who are impotent, mad, or fallen from their caste. 2 If there are no sons, the closest relative belonging to the same ancestry as the deceased takes his inheritance. 3 If there are no relatives belonging to the same ancestry, his teacher or, if there is no teacher, his student should take the inheritance and use it to perform rituals for the benefit of the deceased. 4 Alternatively, the daughter 5 or, if none of these is available, the king should take the inheritance. 6 According to some, the eldest son inherits the entire estate. 7 In some regions gold, black cattle, and black produce of the earth belong to the eldest son. 8 The chariot and the household furniture belong to the father, 9 while the jewelry and the money given by her relatives belong to the mother. 10 That is forbidden by the scriptures, 11 for in the Veda we find this statement, which makes no special allowance: "Manu divided his estate among his sons". 12 [OBJECTION] But we also find in the Veda this statement that posits a single heir: "Therefore, they invest the eldest son with wealth." 13 [ANSWER] Experts in exegesis, however, maintain that such statements are not injunctions but only reiterate common facts, as in the examples: "Among domestic animals, therefore, goats and sheep range together;" "Therefore, the face of a bath-graduate appears to sparkle;" and "Therefore, a billy goat and a vedic scholar display the greatest desire for a mate." 14 The reason is that all sons who live righteously are entitled to inherit. 15 He should, on the contrary, disinherit a son who uses the wealth in unrighteous ways, even if he is the eldest. 16 There is no division of property between a husband and a wife, 17 because from the time of their marriage they are linked together in performing religious rites, 18 as also in receiving the rewards of their meritorious deeds 19 and in acquiring wealth; 20 for while the husband is away people do not consider it a theft for the wife to make a gift when the occasion demands. [A 2.13.12; 2.14.1–20]
Gautama
ऊर्धवं पितुः पुत्रा रिक्थं भजेरन् । ॥1 निवृत्ते रजसि मातुर् जीवतिचेच्छति । ॥2 सर्वं वा पूर्वजस्येतरान् बिभृयात् पितृवत् । ॥3 विभागे तु धर्मवृद्धिः । ॥4 विंशतिभागो ज्येष्ठस्य मिथुनम् उभयतोदद्युक्तो रथोगोवृषः । ॥5 काणखोरकूटवणेता मध्यमस्यानेकाश्चेत् । ॥6 अविर् धान्यायसी गृहमनो युक्तं चतुष्पादंचैकैकं यवीयसः । ॥7 समधा चेतरत्सर्वम् । ॥8 द्व्यंशी वा पूर्वजस्य । ॥9 एकैकम् इतरेषाम् । ॥10 एकैकं वा धनरूपं काम्यं पूर्वः पूर्वोलभते । ॥11 दशकं पशूनाम् । ॥12 नैकशफद्विपदाम् । ॥13 ऋषभो ऽधिको ज्येष्ठस्य । ॥14 ऋषभषोडशा ज्यैष्ठिनेयस्य । ॥15 समधा वाज्यैष्ठिनेयेन यवीयसाम् । ॥16 प्रतिमातृ वा स्वस्ववर्गे भागविशेषः । ॥17
1 After their father's death, the sons may divide the estate, 2 or, if the father so wishes, even during his lifetime but after their mother has reached menopause. 3 Alternatively, the eldest son may inherit the entire estate, and he should maintain the others just as the father. 4 When the estate is partitioned, however, ritual activities increase. 5 The additional share of the eldest son consists of one-twentieth of the estate, a pair of livestock, a carriage yoked to animals with teeth in both jaws, and a bull. 6 The additional share of the middle son consists of animals that are one-eyed, old, hornless, and tailless, if there are more than one of these in the herd. 7 The additional share of the youngest son consists of sheep, grain, iron utensils, a house, a cart yoked with oxen, and one of each kind of livestock. 8 All the rest are to be divided equally. 9 Alternatively, the eldest son may take two shares, 10 and the others one each. 11 Or else, each son may take one kind of property, selecting according to seniority whatever he likes, 12 as also ten heads of livestock, 13 but not of one-hoofed animals or slaves. 14 A bull is the additional share of the eldest, 15 while fifteen cows and a bull are the additional share of the eldest son from the seniormost wife. 16 Alternatively, the eldest son born from a wife who is not the seniormost may receive a share equal to that of his younger brothers born from the seniormost wife. 17 Or else, the special shares are fixed within each group of brothers from the same mother. [G 28.1–17]
पिण्डगोत्रर्षिसंबन्धा रिक्थं भजेरन् स्त्रीवानपत्यस्य । ॥21
21 The estate of a man who dies sonless is shared by those related to him through ancestry, lineage, or a common seer, and by his wife. [G 28.21]
असंसृष्टिविभागः प्रेतानां ज्येष्ठस्य । ॥27 संसृष्टिनि प्रेते संसृष्टी रिक्थभाक् । ॥28 विभक्तजः पित्र्यम् एव । ॥29 स्वयम् अर्जितम् अवैद्येभ्यो वैद्यः कामं न दद्यात् । ॥30 अवैद्याः समं विभजेरन् । ॥31 पुत्राऔरसक्षेत्रजदत्तकृत्रिमगूढोत्पन्नापविद्धा रिक्थभाजः । ॥32 कानीनसहोढपौनर्भवपुत्रिकापुत्रस्वयंदत्तक्रीता गोत्रभाजः । ॥33 चतुर्थांशिन औरसाद्यभावे । ॥34 ब्राह्मणस्य राजन्यापुत्रो ज्येष्ठो गुणसंपन्नस्तुल्यभाक् । ॥35 ज्येष्ठांशहीनम् अन्यत् ।
॥36 राजन्यावैश्यापुत्रसमवाये यथा सब्राह्मणीपुत्रेण । ॥37 क्षत्रियाच् चेत् । ॥38 शूद्रापुत्रो ऽप्य् अनपत्यस्य शुश्रूषुश् चेल् लभतेवृत्तिमूलम् अन्तेवासिविधिना । ॥39 सवर्णापुत्रो ऽप्य् अन्याय्यवृत्तो न लभेतैकेषाम् । ॥40 श्रोत्रिया ब्राह्मणस्यानपत्यस्य रिक्थं भजेरन् । ॥41 राजेतरेषाम् । ॥42 जडक्लीबौ भर्तव्यौ । ॥43 अपत्यं जडस्य भागार्हम् । ॥44 शूद्रापुत्रवत् प्रतिलोमासु । ॥45 उदकयोगक्षेमकृतान्नेष्व् अविभागः । ॥46 स्त्रीषु च संयुक्ताषु । ॥47
27 When a brother who, after partitioning, has not reunited dies, the eldest brother takes his estate. 28 When a brother who, after partitioning, has reunited dies, his coparcener takes his estate. 29 When a son is born after the partition, he alone inherits the paternal estate. 30 A learned coparcener, if he so wishes, does not have to give what he has earned on his own to his coparceners who are not learned, 31 whereas coparceners who are not learned should share equally what they have earned on their own. 32 A natural son, a son begotten on the wife, a son given in adoption, a contrived son, a son born in secret, and a son adopted after being abandoned by his birth parents—these share in the inheritance. 33 A son of an unmarried woman, a son born to a woman who was pregnant at marriage, a son born to a re-married woman, a son born to an appointed daughter, a son who hands himself over for adoption, and a purchased son-these share in the lineage 34 and receive one-quarter of the estate in the absence of the sons in the list beginning with the natural son. 35 A son born to a Brahmin by a Kṣatriya wife, if he happens to be the eldest and possesses good qualities, receives an equal share of the estate, 36 but he is not entitled to the additional share reserved for the eldest son. 37 When a Brahmin has sons by Kṣatriya and Vaiśya wives, the division takes place in the same way as between sons by Brahmin and Kṣatriya wives; 38 so also when a Kṣatriya has such sons. 39 When his father dies without heirs, even a son by a Śūdra wife may receive a share sufficient to maintain himself, if he has been obedient like a pupil. 40 According to some, even a son by a wife of the same class as the husband does not receive a share of the inheritance if he lives an unrighteous life. 41 When a Brahmin dies childless, Vedic scholars should divide his estate among themselves, 42 and the king that of others. 43 Mentally retarded and impotent brothers should receive maintenance, 44 whereas a son of a mentally retarded brother receives a share of the inheritance. 45 When a man fathers sons through women belonging to a caste higher than his, they are to be treated like the sons by a Śūdra wife. 46 Sources of water, security measures, and cooked food are not to be divided, 47 as also women belonging to the family. [G 28.27–47]
रिक्थभाज ऋणं प्रतिकुर्युः । ॥40 प्रातिभाव्यवणिक्शुल्कमद्यद्यूतदण्डाः पुत्रान्नाभ्याभवेयुः । ॥41 निध्यन्वाधियाचितावक्रीताधयो नष्टाह् सर्वाननिन्दितान् पुरुषापराधेन । ॥42
40 Those who inherit the property of someone have to pay his debts. 41 Sons are not accountable for a surety's bond, a business debt, a bride price, debts relating to liquor or gambling, or fines. 42 So long as a person has a blameless reputation, he is not accountable for an open or sealed deposit, something borrowed or purchased, or a collateral for a loan that is lost without his fault. [G 12.40–2]
Baudhāyana
मनुः पुत्रेभ्यो दायं व्यभजद् इति श्रुतिः ॥2 समशः सर्वेषाम् अविशेषात् ॥3 वरं वा रूपम् उद्धरेज् ज्येष्ठः ॥4 तस्माज् ज्येष्ठं पुत्रं धनेन निरवसाययन्तिइति श्रुतिः ॥5 दशानां वाएकम् उद्धरेज् ज्येष्ठः ॥6 समम् इतरे विभजेरन् ॥7 पितुर् अनुमत्या दायविभागः सति पितरि ॥8 चतुर्णां वर्णानां गोअश्वअजअवयो ज्येष्ठअंशः ॥9 नानावर्णस्त्रीपुत्रसमवाये दायं दशअंशान् कृत्वाचतुरः त्रीन् द्वाव् एकम् इति यथाक्रमं विभजेरन् ॥10 औरसे तुउत्पन्ने सवर्णाः तृतीयअंशहराः ॥11 सवर्णापुत्रअनन्तरापुत्रयोर् अनन्तरापुत्रश् चेद् गुणवान्स ज्येष्ठअंशं हरेत् ॥12 गुणवान् हि शेषाणां भर्ता भवति ॥13
2 "Manu divided his estate among his sons," states a vedic text. 3 Because it makes no special allowance, a man should divide his estate equally among all his sons. 4 Alternatively, the eldest son may take for himself a choice piece of property 5 for a vedic text states: "Therefore, they invest the eldest son with wealth". 6 Or else, the eldest son may take an additional one-tenth of the estate, 7 while the others take equal shares. 8 While the father is alive, the partitioning of the estate takes place only with his consent. 9 Among the four social classes, the special share of the eldest is a cow, a horse, a goat, and a sheep, respectively. 10 When there are sons from mothers of different classes, they should divide the estate into ten equal portions and take four, three, two, and one portion according to the class. 11 When a natural son is born, however, other sons belonging to the same class take one-third of the estate as their share. 12 Among two sons, the one born from a mother of the same class as the father and the other born from a mother of the class immediately below the father's, the latter, if he is endowed with good qualities, may take the share reserved for the eldest, 13 for the one who is endowed with good qualities becomes the supporter of the others. [B 2.3.2–13]
अथअप्य् उदाहरन्ति ॥31 औरसं पुत्रिकापुत्रं क्षेत्रजं दत्तकृत्रिमौ ॥31 गूढजं चअपविद्धं च रिक्थभाजः प्रचक्षते ॥31 कानीनं च सहोढं च क्रीतं पौनर्भवं तथा ॥32 स्वयंदत्तं निषादं च गोत्रभाजः प्रचक्षते ॥32 तेषां प्रथम एवैत्य् आहऔपजङ्घनिः ॥33 इदानीम् अहम् ईर्ष्यामि स्त्रीणां जनक नो पुरा ॥34 यतो यमस्य सदने जनयितुः पुत्रम् अब्रुवन् ॥34 रेतोधाः पुत्रं नयति परेत्य यमसादने ॥34 तस्मात् स्वभार्यां रक्षन्तु बिभ्यतः पररेतसः ॥34 अप्रमत्ता रक्षत तन्तुम् एतं मा वः क्षेत्रेपरबीजानि वाप्सुः ॥35 जनयितुः पुत्रो भवति सांपराये मोघंवेत्ता कुरुते तन्तुम् एतम् इति ॥35 तेषाम् अप्राप्तव्यवहाराणाम् अंशान् सौपचयान् सुनिगुप्तान्निदध्युर् आ व्यवहारप्रापणात् ॥36 अतीतव्यवहारान् ग्रासआच्छादनैर् बिभृयुः ॥37 अन्धजडक्लीबव्यसनिव्याधितआदींश् च ॥38 अकर्मिणः ॥39 पतिततज्जातवर्जम् ॥40
31 Now, they also quote: "A natural son, a son by an appointed daughter, a son begotten on the wife, a son given in adoption, a contrived son, a son born in secret, and a son adopted after being abandoned-these, they declare, share in the inheritance. 32 A son of an unmarried woman, a son born to a woman who was pregnant at marriage, a purchased son, a son of a remarried woman, a son given in adoption by himself, and a Niṣada—these, they declare, share in the lineage." 33 "Only the first of these receives a share." says Aupajanghani. 34 "Only now, Janaka, have I become jealous of my wives; I was not so formerly. For when we are in the abode of Death, they say, a son belongs to the man who fathered him. After he dies, the man who deposited the seed takes the son to himself in the abode of Death. People guard their wives, therefore, fearful of the seed of strangers. 35 Diligently guard this progeny of yours, lest strangers sow their seeds in your field; in the transit to the next world, a son belongs to the man who fathered him. Otherwise a husband makes this progeny of his worthless for himself." 36 They should closely guard the shares of minors together with the accrued interest until they reach the legal age 37 and maintain those who are legally incompetent with food and clothing, 38 namely, those who are blind, mentally retarded, impotent, addicted to vice, and sick, 39 as well as those who neglect their duties, 40 but not those who have fallen from their caste or the offspring of such persons. [B 2.3.31–40]
असत्स्व् अन्येषु तद्गामी ह्य् अर्थो भवति ॥11 सपिण्डअभावे सकुल्यः ॥12 तदभावे पिताआचार्योअन्तेवास्य् ऋत्विग् वा हरेत् ॥13 तदभावे राजा तत्स्वं त्रैविद्यवृद्धेभ्यःसंप्रयच्छेत् ॥14 न त्व् एव कदा चित् स्वयं राजा ब्राह्मणस्वम् आददीत ॥15 अथअप्य् उदाहरन्ति ॥16 ब्रह्मस्वं पुत्रपौत्रघ्नं विषम् एकाकिनं हरेत् ॥16 न विषं विषम् इत्य् आहुर् ब्रह्मस्वं विषम् उच्यते ॥16 तस्माद् राजा ब्राह्मणस्वं नआददीत परमं ह्य् एतद्विषं यद् ब्राह्मणस्वम् इति ॥16
11 In the absence of other heirs, the estate goes to the relatives belonging to the same ancestry; 12 in their absence, to the relatives belonging to the same family line; 13 in their absence, the teacher who had been like a father to the deceased, or a student or officiating priest of the deceased may take it; 14 and in their absence, the king-but let him donate that property to persons deeply versed in the three Vedas. 15 The king himself, however, should never appropriate the property of Brahmins. 16 Now, they also quote: "Poison kills just one man, but a Brahmin's property destroys even his sons and grandsons. Poison is not truly poison, they say; the true poison is the property of a Brahmin. Therefore, a king should never appropriate the property of Brahmins, for it is said that the property of Brahmins is the deadliest poison." [B 1.11.11–16]
Vasiṣṭha
अथ भ्रातॄणाम्दायविभागः ॥40 यस्चअनपत्याः तासाम् आ पुत्रलाभात् ॥41 द्विअंशम्ज्येष्ठस्हरेत् ॥42 गवअश्वस्य चअनुदशमम् ॥43 अजअवयस्गृहम्च कनिष्ठस्य ॥44 कार्ष्णायसम्गुहौपकरणानि च
मध्यमस्य ॥45 मातुस्पारिणेयम्स्त्रियस्विभजेरन् ॥46 यदि ब्राह्मणस्य ब्राह्मणीक्षत्रियावैश्यासु पुत्रास्स्युः ॥47 त्रिअंशम्ब्राह्मण्यास्पुत्रस्हरेत् ॥48
द्विअंशम्राजन्यायास्पुत्रः ॥49 समम् इतरे विभजेरन् ॥50 येन चएषाम्स्वयम् उत्पादितम्स्यात्द्विअंशम् एव हरेत् ॥51 अनंशाः तुआश्रमअन्तरगताः ॥52 क्लीबौन्मत्तपतितास्च ॥53 भरणम्क्लीबौन्मत्तानाम् ॥54
40 Next, the partitioning of the estate among brothers. 41 [It should be delayed] until their childless wives bear sons. 42 The oldest son should take a double share 43 and one-tenth of the cows and horses. 44 The youngest son gets the goats, the sheep, and the house. 45 The middle son gets the iron and the household goods. 46 The daughters should share the mother's wedding gifts. 47 If a Brahmin has sons from wives of Brahmin, Kṣatriya, and Vaiśya classes, 48 the son of the Brahmin wife should take a triple share, 49 the son of the Kṣatriya wife should take a double share, 50 and the others should get equal shares. 51 If one of them has contributed his own earnings, he should take a double share. 52 Those who have entered another order of life do not receive any shares, 53 as also those who are impotent, mad, or outcastes. 54 The impotent and the mad should be maintained. 81 In the absence of an heir belonging to the first six types of sons, people belonging to the same ancestry or those taking the place of sons should divide the estate of the deceased; 82 in the absence of these, the teacher and the resident pupil should take the estate; 83 and in their absence, the king. 84 The king, however, should not take the estate of a Brahmin; 85 the property of a Brahmin is dreadful poison. 86 "Poison is not truly poison, they say; the true poison is the property of a Brahmin. Poison kills just one man, while a Brahmin's property kills even his sons and grandsons." 87 He should hand it over instead to virtuous men versed in the triple Veda. [Va 17.40–54, 81–87]
शूद्रापुत्रसेव षष्ठस्भवतिइतिआहुरितिएतेअदायादबान्धवाः ॥38 अथअपिउदाहरन्ति ॥39 यस्य पूर्वेषाम्षण्णाम्न कस्चित्दायादस्स्यातेते तस्य दायम्हरेरनिति ॥39
38 These types of sons are relatives but not heirs. 39 Now, they also quote: "When there is no heir belonging to the first group of six, then the latter may inherit the estate." [Va 17.38–39]
ii. Inheritance of Women
Āpastamba
दुहिता वा ॥4
4 Alternatively, the daughter [takes the inheritance]. [A 2.14.4]
जायाअपत्योर् न विभागो विद्यते ॥16 पाणिग्रहणाधि सहत्वं कर्मसु ॥17 तथा पुण्यफलेषु ॥18 द्रव्यपरिग्रहेषु च ॥19 न हि भर्तुर् विप्रवासे नैमित्तिके दाने स्तेयम् उपदिशन्ति ॥20
16 There is no division of property between a husband and a wife, 17 because from the time of their marriage they are linked together in performing religious rites, 18 as also in receiving the rewards of their meritorious deeds 19 and in acquiring wealth; 20 for while the husband is away people do not consider it a theft for the wife to make a gift when the occasion demands. [A 2.14.16–20]
Gautama
स्त्रीधनं दुहितृऋणाम् अप्रत्तानाम् अप्रतिष्ठिताणां च । ॥24 भगिनीशुल्कः सोदर्याणाम् ऊर्ध्वं मातुः । ॥25 पूर्वं चैके । ॥26
24 The wife's property goes to her daughters who are unmarried or indigent. 25 A sister's dowry goes to her uterine brothers after her mother dies, 26 or, according to some, even before. [G 28.24–6]
Baudhāyana
मातुर् अलंकारं दुहितरः सांप्रदायिकं लभेरन्न् अन्यद् वा ॥43 न स्त्रियाः स्वातन्त्र्यं विद्यते ॥44 अथअप्य् उदाहरन्ति ॥45 पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने ॥45 पुत्रः तु स्थविरीभावे न स्त्रीस्वातन्त्र्यम् अर्हति इति ॥45 निरिन्द्रिया ह्य् अदायाश् च स्त्रियो मता इति श्रुतिः ॥46
43 Daughters should take their mother's jewelry and anything else customarily given to her. 44 It is not possible for women to act independently. 45 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." 46 "Women are considered to be devoid of strength and not to inherit property" say a vedic text. [B 2.3.43–6]
Vasiṣṭha
मातुस्पारिणेयम्स्त्रियस्विभजेरन् ॥46
46 The daughters should share the mother's wedding gifts. [Va 17.46]