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 dit : «Elles parlent avec un sourire déjà aux lèvres ; en beauté, elles égalent les Apsaras. Habiles dans les arts du service amoureux, elles comprennent l’humeur et l’intention d’autrui, et sont accomplies en toute finesse.»
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.