Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 24
Cyavana’s Water-Vow and the Ethics of Cohabitation (स्नेह-सम्वास-धर्मः)
स्त्रीणां तु पतिदायाद्यमुपभोगफल स्मृतम् | नापहारं स्त्रिय: कुर्यु: पतिवित्तात् कथंचन
strīṇāṃ tu patidāyādyam upabhogaphalaṃ smṛtam | nāpahāraṃ striyaḥ kuryuḥ pativittāt kathaṃcana ||
Wika ni Bhishma: Para sa mga babae, ang bahaging dumarating sa kanila mula sa ari-arian ng asawa ay ayon sa kaugalian itinuturing na nagbubunga lalo na sa pagtamasa at paggamit. Kaya’t hindi dapat pagkaitan ang babae sa anumang paraan ng anumang nauukol sa kanya mula sa yaman ng asawa; at ang ibinigay bilang sariling ari-arian ng babae ay hindi dapat agawin ng mga anak na lalaki o ng iba pang tagapagmana.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse affirms that a woman’s entitlement connected with her husband’s wealth is meant for her use and enjoyment, and it should not be confiscated; her allotted property (including what is given to her as her own) is not to be taken by heirs such as sons.
In the Anushasana Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhishma is laying down normative guidance on household ethics and inheritance—specifically, protecting a woman’s rightful share and preventing deprivation of her husband-derived property and her own allotted wealth.