पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने।
पुत्रा रक्षन्ति वार्धक्ये न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यमर्हति॥
pitā rakṣati kaumāre bhartā rakṣati yauvane
putrā rakṣanti vārdhakye na strī svātantryam arhati
pitā = her father; rakṣati = protects her; kaumāre = in her childhood; bhartā = her husband; rakṣati = protects her; yauvane = in her youth; putrāḥ = her sons; rakṣanti = protect her; vārdhakye = in her old age [after her husband’s death]; na = not; strī = a woman; svātantryam arhati = should be given independence.
Her father protects her in her childhood. Her husband protects her in her youth. Her sons protect her in her old age [after her husband’s death]. A woman should not be given independence.
1]. Manu-smṛti 5.147-148: bālayā vā yuvatyā vā vṛddhayā vāpi yoṣitā / na svātantryeṇa kartavyaṁ kiñcit kāryaṁ gṛheṣv api; bālye pitur vaśe tiṣṭhet pāṇi-grāhasya yauvane / putrāṇāṁ bhartari prete na bhajeta svatantratām. Yājñavalkya-smṛti 1.84: rakṣet kanyāṁ pitā vinnāṁ patiḥ putras tu vārdhake / abhāve jñātayas tv eṣāṁ svātantryaṁ na kvacit striyāḥ.
NOTE. The Manu-smṛti and Yājñavalkya-smṛti also reiterate this important teaching.1