Shloka 158

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

नातिहस्वा न महती नीलोत्पलसुगन्धिनी । पद्मायताक्षी सुश्रोणी स्वसिताज्चितमूर्थजा,वह न तो बहुत छोटी थी और न बहुत बड़ी ही। उसके अंगोंसे नीलकमलकी सुगन्ध फैलती रहती थी। उसके नेत्र कमलदलके समान सुन्दर और विशाल थे, नितम्बभाग बड़ा ही मनोहर था और उसके काले-काले घूँघराले बालोंका सौन्दर्य भी अद्भुत था

Transliteration

nātihasvā na mahatī nīlotpalasugandhinī | padmāyatākṣī suśroṇī svasitāś citamūrdhajā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: She was neither too short nor too tall. A fragrance like that of the blue lotus seemed to emanate from her limbs. Her eyes were large and lovely like lotus petals; her hips were graceful; and her dark, curling hair was strikingly beautiful.

Word by Word

नnot

अतिह्रस्वाvery short (in stature)

नnor/not

महतीvery large/tall

नीलोत्पलसुगन्धिनीfragrant like a blue lotus

पद्मायताक्षीshe whose eyes are long like lotuses

सुश्रोणीhaving beautiful hips

स्वसिताvery fair/bright

चितमूर्धजाshe whose hair (born on the head) is variegated/curly

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse is primarily descriptive rather than doctrinal: it reflects the epic’s use of auspicious bodily features (lakṣaṇas) to signal refinement, attractiveness, and social ideals. Ethically, it shows how narrative literature encodes cultural values—here, the courtly ideal of balanced stature, lotus-like fragrance and eyes, and well-kept appearance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing a woman’s appearance in detail—her stature, fragrance, eyes, hips, complexion, and hair—using conventional poetic comparisons (especially lotus imagery) to portray her as exceptionally beautiful and auspicious.