yajnavalkyasmrit

 No doubt, Manu has said that the wife goes to hell, if she performs the worship of Devatas, reciting of prayers, performing of austerities &c. That however applies to the case of a wife, who takes to religious life to the detriment of serving her husband. The women should use the mantra, " Namah," in place of all mantras, and so also the Sudras. 

As says GAUTAMA (X. 64) : — *' If permission has been given to him, he may use the exclamation namah (adoration) as his mantra." No doubt, this is enunciated primarily for the SOdras, but a woman is like a Sddra so far as her religious duties (Dharma) go. Neither 8(idras nor women are entitled to recite the mantras given in the Puranas. They can hear the Puranas, when recited by a Brahmana. Women and fe'udras can worship VISNU accordi(pg to Tantrik method, they can worship Salagram also, but they should not touch it. 

Thus women (and Sudras) have a right to perform all religious observances with the above restrictions. Thus they can perform Ananta-vrata and other rites of the same kind. The women of the twice-born class, after reciting the Samkalpa-mantra themselves, should have the rest of the Puja performed by their sons &c. If iihey have no sons, they should get it done by the Brahmanas. This is the rule for Sudras also. Women and Sudras and persons, not having the sacred thread, may worship Siva, made of clay, directly themselves, by using the mantra, " Namah."