आप्तदोषं कर्म कारयेत् न त्वेव स्त्रियं गर्भिणीं सूतिकां वा मासावरप्रजाताम् ॥ कZ_०४.८.१७ ॥
āptadoṣaṃ karma kārayet na tv eva striyaṃ garbhiṇīṃ sūtikāṃ vā māsāvara-prajātām
Labour should be imposed only when culpability is established; but not upon a woman who is pregnant, in postpartum recovery, or who has given birth within a month.
Compulsory labour is conditioned on established fault, and maternal status triggers categorical exemptions.