Shloka 35
Adhyāya 325: Nārada in Śvetadvīpa—Stotra to the Nirguṇa Mahātman
स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिण्यो रूपेणाप्सरसां समा: | कामोपचारकुशला भावज्ञा: सर्वकोविदा:
smitapūrvābhibhāṣiṇyo rūpeṇāpsarasāṃ samāḥ | kāmopacārakuśalā bhāvajñāḥ sarvakovidāḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “They speak with a smile already on their lips; in beauty they are equal to the Apsarases. Skilled in the arts of amorous service, they understand a person’s moods and intentions, and are accomplished in every refinement.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how refined charm and emotional intelligence can be used to influence others; ethically, it points to the need for vigilance and self-mastery so that one is not led away from dharma by allure and calculated attentiveness.
Bhīṣma is describing a group of women characterized by captivating beauty, smiling speech, and skill in pleasing conduct—emphasizing their ability to read emotions and act expertly, typically in a context warning about seduction or the power of sensual attraction.