Summary: the stridhana of Manu. Thus, the Mitakshara and other legal texts discuss the concept of stridhana, the property rights of women, derived from various sources like inheritance, gifts, or personal acquisition. Judicial decisions have elucidated the wider interpretation given to stridhana by legal scholars like Vijnaneswara, encompassing all property acquired by women, including inherited wealth. The understanding of stridhana varies across regions, with the Bengal school emphasizing inherited property as distinct from stridhana, while the Benares school interprets it more broadly. These interpretations influence legal principles governing the alienation of property by widows, such as for religious or charitable purposes, with the focus on spiritual benefit and adherence to legal necessities, as observed in case laws and commentaries by legal scholars.