What could women retain as per the Manusmriti after receiving it on the occasion of their marriage?

Gifts from their parents

The Mahabharata features a critical episode in the ongoing rivalry between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, where Duryodhana invites Yudhisthira to a game of dice. Yudhisthira, deceived by his rival, stakes and loses his wealth, kingdom, and even his wife Draupadi. This episode highlights issues of ownership, which are also addressed in the Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras.

According to the Manusmriti, after the parents' death, the paternal estate was to be divided equally among sons, with the eldest receiving a special share. However, women were not entitled to claim a share of these resources. They were allowed to retain the gifts they received at the time of marriage, known as stridhana, and this could be inherited by their children without any claim from the husband. Nonetheless, the Manusmriti cautioned against women hoarding family property or valuables without their husband's permission.

Though there are instances of wealthy women, such as the Vakataka queen Prabhavati Gupta, the evidence suggests that, in general, upper-class women might have had access to resources, but control over land, cattle, and money was usually in the hands of men. This created social distinctions between men and women due to differences in resource access.