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APPENDIX B.
113
the husband's property in preference to his mother (Shloka TO). She has her Stridban (Shlokas $5 to 89) which on no account can be taken by any one (Shloka 90). In the matter of adoption, her pomers are co-extensire with those of the basband alive (Shinkas 41, 42, 44 and 45) or dead (Shloka 75.) As a widow, then a son dies in his parents' lifetime, her position is pot intolerable; and, considering the conception of a Troman's position eren under the Roman Las, the restrictions are really mild (Shlokas 113-117).
Onls in one place the modern champion of woman's rights may shrink back aglinst, in Shlokn 15, where, in illustrating moreable property, the ascetic Bhadrababu gires "silver, gold, ornancats, clothes, cattle, aromen, etc.," But in the bad old days, slavery in some form or other did exist, and the "tromen" meant arc most likely ecrrants and Dasis attached to the house.
The Jaing Lar books cited put it beyond doubt that a Joipa childless ridot has an absolute and unrestricted porrer of cnjoyment and disposition of her husband's property. Indeed, it would seem that there is a slight suggestion of giving a widott, as an licir, s prefercntial position even to that of a son, e. 9., (sce Vardhamana Niti, Shlokas 11 and 12) Shloka 14 makes a chasto widow the fullest owner of her husband's property. Arhana ili is eren more explicit as to the unlimited rights of the vidom. Shloka 52 makes her fall omor of her husband's property. Shloka 53 which is not cited by the pleader for the defendants, has a significant wording. It rung im
कुटुम्वपालने शका ज्येष्ठायाच कुलांगना। पुत्रस्य सत्वेऽसत्वे च भर्तृवत्साधिकारिणी ॥५३॥
“A lads of good family, senior and capable of looking aftor the family, chether there is a son or not, has full powers, like her husband."
