Women's Categories as per Our Scriptures

Our scriptures divide women into four categories as per their physical, attributes, mental attitudes and spiritual inclinations- Sankhini, Hastini, chitrni and of course, the most cherished, Padmini. This is how these classes have been comprehensively describes by Labdhodaya in his Padmini Charitra Choupai.

पद्मिनी पद्म गन्धा च पुष्प गन्धा च चित्रणी|
हस्तिनी मच्छ गन्धा च दुर्गन्धा भावेत्संखणी||

A Padmini has the fragrance of a lotus and Chitrani that of a folower. A Hansini smells like fish and Sankhini carries a foul smell about her.

पद्मिनी स्वामिभक्त च पुत्रभक्त च चित्रणी|
हस्तिनी मातृभक्त च आत्मभक्त च संखिणी ||

A Padmini is atteched to her husband, Chitrani to her sons, Hastini to her mother and Sankhini to her own self only.

पद्मिनी करलकेशा च लम्बकेशा च चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी उर्द्धकेशा च लठरकेशा च संखिणी ||

Padmin has curly hair, Chitrani long hair, Hastini short hair and Sankhini rough and meshed up hair.

पद्मिनी चन्द्रवदना च सूर्यवदना च चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी पद्मवदना च शुकरवदना च संखिणी ||

Padmini’s body carries the lustre of the moon, Chitrni’s the brightness of the sun, Hastini’s the feel of the a lotus and Sankhini has a body like that of a dog.

पद्मिनी हंसवाणी च कोकिलावाणी च चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी काकवाणी च गर्दभवाणी च संखिणी ||

Padmini has the voice of a swan, chitrni that of nightingke, Hastini that a crow and Sankhini that of a donkey.

पद्मिनी पावाहारा च द्विपावाहारा च चित्रणी |
त्रिपदा हारा हस्तिनी ज्ञेया परं हारा च संखिणी ||

Padmini is used to eating very little, Chitarni consumes twice that quantity, Hastini three times and Sankhini eats an enormous amount of food.

चतु वर्षे प्रसूति पद्मन्या त्रय वर्षाश्च चित्रणी |
द्वि वर्षा हस्तिनी प्रसूतं प्रति वर्ष च संखिणी ||

Padmini procreates once in four years, Chitarni once in three, Hastini once in two and Sankhini every year.

पद्मिनी श्वेत श्रृंगारा, रक्त श्रृंगारा चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी नील श्रृंगारा, कृष्ण श्रृंगारा च संखिणी ||

Padmini likes dress up in white, Chitarni in red, Hastini in blue and sankhini in black.

पद्मिनी पान राचन्ति, वित्त राचन्ति चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी दान राचन्ति, कलह राचन्ति संखिणी ||

Padmini has a fondness for pan, i.e. stuffed betel leaf, Chitrni for mony, Hastini for alms and Sankhini derives pleasure in causing conflicts.

पद्मिनी प्रहन निंद्रा च, द्वि प्रहर निंद्रा च चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी प्रहर निंद्रा च, अघोर निंद्रा च संखिणी ||

Padmini sleeps only once a day for a few hours, Chitrni likes to sleep twice as long, Hastini thrice and Sankhini feel like sleeping all the time.

चक्रस्थन्यो च पद्मिन्या, समस्थनी च चित्रणी |
उद्धस्थनी च हस्तिन्या दीघस्थानी संखिणी ||

Padmini has rounded breasts, Chitrni proportionate ones, Hastini small ones and Sankhini long ones.

पद्मिनी हारदंता च, समदंता च चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी दिर्घदंता च, वक्रदंता च संखिणी ||

Padmini has well placed teeth in the form of a garland, Chitrni has proportionate teeth, Hastini long ones and Sankhini has staggered teeth.

पद्मिनी मुख सौरभ्यं, उर सौरभ्यं चित्रणी |
हस्तिनी कटि सौरभ्यं, नास्ति गंधा च संखिणी ||

The charm of a Padmini lies in her face, in case of Chitrni it lies in her bust. Hastini has a beautiful waistline and there is nothing charming about Sankhini.