There’s a proverb “You don’t strike a woman even with a flower” (or … (your) wife …; at least “ženu ani květinou neuhodíš” in Czech language/culture — there's also a comedy movie based on that).
Ethics author Guth-Jarkovský in his 1914 book Společenský katechismus (“Social catechism”) claims (without any reference), that it's an Indian proverb.
I might have seen a mention elsewhere that it’s related to Ashoka. After I was unable confirm with available translations of his edicts, I decided to ask here, whether someone knows more about that.
