The correct option is (a) 1 only.
Explanation
The Ashrama system (stages of life) became well-defined during the Later Vedic and Post-Vedic periods (Dharmasutra/Dharmashastra age). During this transition, the social and religious status of women underwent significant changes compared to the Rig Vedic period, characterized by a marked decline in their independent rights and ritual status.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: In the Later Vedic period and subsequent Dharmashastra tradition, women were generally denied the Upanayana (sacred thread ceremony), which was a mandatory prerequisite for studying the Vedas. While women scholars existed in the Rig Vedic period (e.g., Lopamudra, Ghosha), the later social order restricted Vedic education primarily to male members of the dvija (twice-born) varnas. For women, marriage came to be regarded as the ritual substitute for Upanayana.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: Women were not viewed as independent entities within the Ashrama system. A woman's spiritual journey was tied to her husband (Sahadharmini). She entered the Grihastha (householder) stage through marriage and typically accompanied her husband into the Vanaprastha (hermit) stage. She did not have the agency to choose an Ashrama, such as Sannyasa (renunciation), independently of her husband's life stage.
Key Takeaway:
In the Post-Vedic social order, women lost the right to Upanayana and Vedic study, and their participation in the Ashrama system was entirely dependent on and derivative of their husband's status.