Sutra 24

Devanagari script

ह्रस्वप्रवासिनां शूद्रवैश्यक्षत्रियब्राह्मणानां भार्याः संवत्सरोत्तरं कालमाकाङ्क्षेरनप्रजाताः संवत्सराधिकं प्रजाताः ॥ कZ_०३.४.२४ ॥

Transliteration

hrasvapravāsināṃ śūdra-vaiśya-kṣatriya-brāhmaṇānāṃ bhāryāḥ saṃvatsarottaraṃ kālam ākāṅkṣeran aprajātāḥ saṃvatsarādhikaṃ prajātāḥ

Translation

For husbands absent on short journeys, the wives of Śūdra, Vaiśya, Kṣatriya, and Brāhmaṇa should wait for one year (and thereafter). If childless, they wait one year; if they have borne children, they wait for more than a year.

Word by Word

ह्रस्व-प्रवासिनाम्of men who are away for a short stay (short-term travellers/absentees)

शूद्र-वैश्य-क्षत्रिय-ब्राह्मणानाम्of Śūdras, Vaiśyas, Kṣatriyas, and Brāhmaṇas

भार्याःwives

संवत्सर-उत्तरम्after a year / one year later

कालम्time (period)

आकाङ्क्षेरन्should wait / may expect (to wait)

अ-प्रजाताः(those) not having borne a child

संवत्सर-अधिकम्for more than a year / exceeding a year

प्रजाताः(those) having borne a child

Entities Mentioned

absent husband

wives

varṇa categories

kin group (implicit)

FAQs

What is the administrative purpose of prescribing waiting periods?

To reduce disputes over marital status, legitimacy, and succession by standardizing when a wife may treat prolonged absence as legally consequential.