Which of the following statements is correct in reference to practices in ancient India mentioned in the Manusmriti?

Statement A- The paternal estate was to be divided equally amongst sons after the death of the parents, with a special share for the youngest.
Statement B- The stridhana could not be inherited by the children of women.

Choose the correct answer from the given options:

Neither of them is correct.

The correct answer is Option 4 - Neither of them is correct.

Corrections in the statement:

Statement A- The paternal estate was to be divided equally amongst sons after the death of the parents, with a special share for the ELDEST, not the youngest.

Statement B- The stridhana could be inherited by their children, without the husband having any claim on it.

According to the Manusmriti, the paternal estate was to be divided equally amongst sons after the death of the parents, with a special share for the eldest. Women could not claim a share of these resources. However, women were allowed to retain the gifts they received on the occasion of their marriage as stridhana (literally, a woman’s wealth). This could be inherited by their children, without the husband having any claim on it. At the same time, the Manusmriti warned women against hoarding family property, or even their own valuables, without the husband’s permission. However, cumulative evidence – both epigraphic and textual – suggests that while upper-class women may have had access to resources, land, cattle and money were generally controlled by men. In other words, social differences between men and women were sharpened because of the differences in access to resources.