Which one of the following texts of ancient India allows divorce to a wife deserted by her husband ?

Among the options, Kautilya’s Arthashastra is the text that explicitly recognises divorce as part of social-legal practice in ancient India. Scholarly summaries note that Arthashastra permits divorce (for example on grounds like mutual animosity) and envisages legal procedures, including court oversight and consent aspects before remarriage, indicating institutional recognition of marital dissolution rather than mere social separation. By contrast, Kamasutra is primarily a treatise on erotic conduct, while later Dharmashastra traditions discuss separation in moral terms but do not systematise divorce procedure as Arthashastra does. Therefore, Arthashastra best fits the description of allowing divorce to a wife deserted or separated from her husband within an organised legal framework.