Chapter 78

The Wife and Other Heirs to the Property of a Sonless Man

A sonless widow, preserving her husband's bed and remaining under the protection of her elders, being chaste, may enjoy his property until death. Afterwards, the heirs shall take it. // K_921 //

When her husband has gone to heaven, a woman is entitled to food and clothing. In an undivided estate, she receives a share of the property until her death. // K_922 //

She is entitled to enjoy her allotted share if she is devoted to serving her elders. If she does not perform this service, she should be assigned only clothing and a morsel of food. // K_923 //

After her husband's death, the family's guardian-wife shall receive her husband's share. For her lifetime, she has no ownership in matters of gift, mortgage, or sale. // K_924 //

A sonless woman who is devoted to vows and fasting, established in celibacy, and always engaged in self-control and charity, goes to heaven. // K_925 //

The wife who is not unchaste is the heir to her husband's wealth. In her absence, the daughter, if she is then unmarried. // K_926 //

Of a sonless man, the wife of good family, or the daughters; in their absence, the father, mother, brother, and then the sons (of the brother) are declared heirs. // K_927 //

If a divided man dies, in the absence of a son, the father shall take the property, or the brother, or the mother, or the father's mother, in that order. A woman who engages in misconduct, is shameless, or is a destroyer of property... // K_928 //

...and a woman who is addicted to adultery is not entitled to the property. // K_929 //

For a woman who is not authorized by her father, husband, or son, whatever she does for the sake of the deceased becomes fruitless for her. // K_930 //

Property without an heir goes to the king, after setting aside what is for the woman's maintenance and for funeral rites. But the property of a learned Brahmin should be given to other learned Brahmins. // K_931 //

Of reunited coparceners (saṃsṛṣṭas), the reunited are heirs; of separated ones, the separated. In the absence of issue, they are heirs to each other's shares. // K_932 //