The World of Courtesans c8.267

c8.267

Bharata divides a woman’s life into four stages: in the first stage her hips and thighs are plump and the breasts firm. In the second stage the limbs are rounded, the breasts become full and plump and the waist remains slender. In the third stage the beauty assumes a mellowed richness and she gains knowledge of sexual practices. The fourth stage is characterized by a reduction in physical charm and lack of enthusiasm for the sex act. In the primary stage the woman accepts a person with equanimity. In the second stage she considers an offence a light matter. She is not easily provoked and refuses to be malicious. When she is angry, she remains silent. In the third stage she is an expert in sexual practices, bears no malice to her rivals, knows how to use her charms and capture men. She usually prefers to remain united with her lover.