Women in Hindu Texts

Though destitute of virtue, or seeking pleasure (elsewhere); or devoid of good qualities, (yet) a husband must be constantly worshipped as a god by a dutiful wife. [Manu V.154] (c. 200 CE)

He who addresses the wife of another man at a Tirtha, outside the village, in a forest, or at the confluence of rivers, suffer the punishment for adulterous acts (samgrahana). [Manu VIII:356]

When a woman, proud of her relations or abilities, deceives her husband with another man, the king should ensure that she be torn apart by dogs in place much frequented by people. [Manu VIII:371]
Earlier, if a husband accused his wife of infidelity she had to 'pass through fire' and any burns were a sign of guilt. This was based on Ram's conduct towards his wife, Sita as narrated at the end of the Ramayana.

A wife, a son, and a slave, these three are declared to have no property ; the wealth which they earn is (acquired) for him to whom they belong. [Manu VIII.416]

Her father protects her in childhood, her husband protects her in youth and her sons protect her in old age; a woman is never fit for independence. [Manu IX.3]

Manu allotted to women a love of their bed, seat and ornament, and impure desires, wrath, dishonesty, malice and bad conduct. [Manu IX.17]

Women have no business with the text of the veda. [Manu IX.18]

Though a man may have accepted a damsel in due form, he may abandon her if she be blemished, diseased or deflowered, and if she has been fraudulently given to him. [Manu IX.72]

The best partner for a man was one-third his age: A man, aged thirty years, shall marry a maiden of twelve who pleases him, or a man of twenty-four a girl of eight years of age; if (the performance of) his duties would otherwise be impeded, he must marry sooner. [Manu IX.94]

The following eight qualities are characteristic qualities of women. They are: uttering lies, unsteadiness, deceit, stupidity, greed, impurity, wickedness and rashness. [Sukra III.163]

The friendship of women does not last long. Their nature is like that of the hyena. [Rig Veda X.95.10]

And as women, Sudras and the inferior members of the twice-born classes were unfit for hearing the Veda and were infatuated with the blessings arising from the ceremonies, the muni, with a vision to their felicity, in his kindness, composed the narrative called the Mahabharata. [Bhag. Pur. I.4.25] (900 CE)

Hence they reject a female child when born, and take up a male. [Taittirya Samhita VI.5.10.3]

Let a female child be born somewhere else; here, let a male child be born. [Atharva Veda VI.2.3]