Chapter 18

Vishnu Smriti 18

If a Brāhmaṇa has sons in the four varṇas, they shall divide the paternal estate into ten parts. // Vi_18.1 //

Therein, the son of the Brāhmaṇī wife shall take four shares. // Vi_18.2 //

The son of the Kṣatriyā wife, three. // Vi_18.3 //

The son of the Vaiśyā wife, two shares. // Vi_18.4 //

And the son of the Śūdrā wife, one. // Vi_18.5 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa has three sons, excluding the Śūdra, then they shall divide that wealth into nine parts. // Vi_18.6 //

They shall take shares divided into four, three, and two parts, in order of their varṇa. // Vi_18.7 //

Excluding the Vaiśya, they shall take four, three, and one share of the property divided into eight parts. // Vi_18.8 //

Excluding the Kṣatriya, they shall take four, two, and one share of the property divided into seven parts. // Vi_18.9 //

Excluding the Brāhmaṇa, they shall take three, two, and one share of the property divided into six parts. // Vi_18.10 //

For a Kṣatriya with sons from Kṣatriyā, Vaiśyā, and Śūdrā wives, this same division applies. // Vi_18.11 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa has a Brāhmaṇa and a Kṣatriya son, then from the wealth divided into seven parts, the Brāhmaṇa son shall take four shares. // Vi_18.12 //

The Rājanya (Kṣatriya) son, three. // Vi_18.13 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa has a Brāhmaṇa and a Vaiśya son, then of the property divided into six parts, the Brāhmaṇa son shall take four shares. // Vi_18.14 //

The Vaiśya son, two shares. // Vi_18.15 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa has a Brāhmaṇa and a Śūdra son, they shall divide that wealth into five parts. // Vi_18.16 //

The Brāhmaṇa son shall take four shares. // Vi_18.17 //

The Śūdra son, one. // Vi_18.18 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa or a Kṣatriya has a Kṣatriya and a Vaiśya son, they shall divide that wealth into five parts. // Vi_18.19 //

The Kṣatriya son shall take three shares. // Vi_18.20 //

The Vaiśya son, two shares. // Vi_18.21 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa or a Kṣatriya has a Kṣatriya and a Śūdra son, they shall divide that wealth into four parts. // Vi_18.22 //

The Kṣatriya son shall take three shares. // Vi_18.23 //

The Śūdra son, one. // Vi_18.24 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa, a Kṣatriya, or a Vaiśya has a Vaiśya and a Śūdra son, they shall divide that wealth into three parts. // Vi_18.25 //

The Vaiśya son shall take two shares. // Vi_18.26 //

The Śūdra son, one. // Vi_18.27 //

Now, if a Brāhmaṇa has a single son who is a Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, or Vaiśya, they are all heirs to the whole estate. // Vi_18.28 //

For a Kṣatriya, a Rājanya (Kṣatriya) or Vaiśya son. // Vi_18.29 //

For a Vaiśya, a Vaiśya son. // Vi_18.30 //

For a Śūdra, a Śūdra son. // Vi_18.31 //

A single Śūdra son of a twice-born man is heir to half the estate. // Vi_18.32 //

The rule for the property of a childless man applies here to the other half. // Vi_18.33 //

Mothers take shares according to the shares of their sons. // Vi_18.34 //

And unmarried daughters. // Vi_18.35 //

Sons of the same varṇa shall take equal shares. // Vi_18.36 //

They shall give the best preferential share to the eldest. // Vi_18.37 //

If there are two sons of a Brāhmaṇī wife and one son of a Śūdrā wife, then of the property divided into nine parts, the sons of the Brāhmaṇī shall take eight parts, and the son of the Śūdrā, one. // Vi_18.38 //

Now, if there are two sons of a Śūdrā wife and one son of a Brāhmaṇī wife, then of the property divided into six parts, the Brāhmaṇa son shall take four shares, and the two sons of the Śūdrā, two shares. // Vi_18.39 //

By this method, the calculation of shares is made in other cases as well. // Vi_18.40 //

If reunited coparceners, living together, divide again, The division there shall be equal; seniority has no place there. || Vi_18.41 ||

What a man acquires by his own labor without diminishing the paternal property, That, being acquired by his own effort, he is not obliged to give against his will. || Vi_18.42 ||

But when he recovers paternal property that had not been obtained, He shall not, against his will, share that self-acquired property with his sons. || Vi_18.43 ||

Clothes, a vehicle, ornaments, cooked food, water, women, Provisions for spiritual and temporal welfare, pastures, and books are not to be divided. || Vi_18.44 ||