Shloka 158
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
नातिहस्वा न महती नीलोत्पलसुगन्धिनी । पद्मायताक्षी सुश्रोणी स्वसिताज्चितमूर्थजा
nātihasvā na mahatī nīlotpalasugandhinī | padmāyatākṣī suśroṇī svasitāś citamūrdhajā ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Dia tidak terlalu rendah dan tidak pula terlalu tinggi. Harum seperti teratai biru seakan-akan memancar dari anggota tubuhnya. Matanya besar dan indah seperti kelopak teratai; pinggulnya anggun; dan rambutnya yang hitam berikal tampak luar biasa menawan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.