10

Many Indians today think that fair/white skin is beautiful while dark/black skin is ugly.

Is dark skin considered beautiful in Hindu scriptures, and by extension, in ancient India before European colonization?

Ankit Sharma
  • 6,586
  • 6
  • 40
  • 82
Ikshvaku
  • 22,130
  • 2
  • 39
  • 116
  • 3
    @SK I don't think so, I think it is a good question. – Ikshvaku Feb 06 '19 at 01:26
  • 2
    I'm in full agreement with the spirit of your question, but for once, I agree with @SK about the wording in the body. If you remove the part about western/white etc. (which, while true, need not be in the question, but maybe u can add as footnote in your answer), then it won't receive downvotes / get closed – ram Feb 06 '19 at 01:28
  • 1
    @ram Alright fair point, updated body. – Ikshvaku Feb 06 '19 at 01:29
  • There is very detail description of all the varnas (skin colors) in Mahabharata , explaining nature of each of varna . i am finding answer. Hope that will post it today if found. – SwiftPushkar Feb 06 '19 at 06:16

4 Answers4

10

Yes, dark complexion is considered beautiful in Hindu scriptures. Like, Draupadi is one of the most beautiful woman and she is of dark complexion. It is mentioned in Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Chaitraratha Parva: SECTION CLXIX.

And there arose, after this from the centre of the sacrificial platform, a daughter also, called Panchali, who, blest with great good fortune, was exceedingly handsome. Her eyes were black, and large as lotus-petals, her complexion was dark, and her locks were blue and curly. Her nails were beautifully convex, and bright as burnished copper; her eye-brows were fair, and bosom was deep. Indeed, she resembled the veritable daughter of a celestial born among men.

Her body gave out fragrance like that of a blue lotus, perceivable from a distance of full two miles. Her beauty was such that she had no equal on earth. Like a celestial herself, she could be desired (in marriage) by a celestial, a Danava, or a: Yaksha. When this girl of fair hips was born an incorporeal voice said, 'This dark-complexioned girl will be the first of all women, and she will be the cause of the destruction of many Kshatriyas. This slender-waisted one will, in time, accomplish the purpose of the gods, and along with her many a danger will overtake the Kauravas.'

Also Lord Krishna is of dark complexion and considered handsome as mentioned at many places as in Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Draupadi-harana Parva: SECTION CCLXI.

O thou with a complexion dark as the leaves of the blue lotus, and with eyes red as the corolla of the lily, and attired in yellow robes with, besides, the bright Kaustubha gem in thy bosom, thou art the beginning and the end of creation, and the great refuge of all.

Community
  • 1
Triyugi Narayan Mani
  • 23,836
  • 7
  • 100
  • 158
  • 1
    Good answer. Draupadi was also called "KrishnA" because she was dark! – Ikshvaku Feb 06 '19 at 15:40
  • 1
    @Ikshvaku Thanks. Yes, the Adi Parva chapter which I have quoted says so: And they also said, 'Because this daughter is so dark in complexion, she should be called Krishna (the dark).' – Triyugi Narayan Mani Feb 06 '19 at 15:44
2

According to Śiva Purāṇa, apparently, dark complexion is hated by good men, so women should strive for fair complexion.

Chapter 24 - Śiva’s sports on the Mandara mountain

...

The goddess said:—

  1. “If my lord [Lord Śiva] has no pleasure in my complexion how is it that I have been held up here so long.

...

  1. Dark complexion is hated by good men. You too disapprove of it. Without wiping it off by dint of penance I am not inclined to stay here.

...

From the next chapter:

Chapter 25 - The goddess (devī) attains fair complexion

...

Brahmā said:—

  1. What is being striven for, O goddess, by means of this penance? The benefits of penances are under your control.

  2. The fruit of the penance has been obtained by you in having obtained lord Śiva as your husband, who alone is the lord of all worlds.

  3. Or all this is only a form of your divine sport. But this is surprising how you can bear separation from the lord.

The Goddess (devī) said:—

  1. When at the beginning of creation as mentioned in the Vedas you are born of lord Śiva you are the first of my creation, my first-born son.

  2. When for multiplying the subjects, Śiva was born of your forehead you became my father-in-law and so elder to me.

  3. When the lord of mountains, my father became your son you became my grandfather, O grandfather of the worlds!

  4. How can I inform you, the arranger of worldly existence what happened at the harem with my husband?

  5. Of what avail is this talk? I wish to get rid of my dark complexion through legitimate remedies and obtain white colour.

Brahmā said:—

  1. O goddess, why did you perform a severe penance for this purpose? Was not your wish alone sufficient for that? Indeed this is only your sport

  2. O mother of the universe, your play too benefits the worlds. Hence some benefit pleasing to me may be sought through it.

Say No To Censorship
  • 30,811
  • 17
  • 131
  • 257
  • 2
    This answer doesn't answer the question of "Is dark skin considered beautiful in Hindu scriptures?" The quote you provided from the Purana "Dark complexion is hated by good men," does not say anything about whether dark skin is considered beautiful according to Hindu scripture, because one can hate a particular skin complexion for any number of reasons. – Ikshvaku Feb 07 '19 at 22:58
  • 2
    I'm negating the premise of your question by quoting "Dark complexion is hated by good men" directly from scripture. You also took it for granted that love for fair skin is a 19-20th century thing and not supported by scripture. I just wanted to present a differing view. Sorry, it doesn't meet your requirements :) Read this meta post and from next time, you can add a note saying "I'm only looking for verses/citations that support my view" then people who don't agree with your view will stay away. @Ikshvaku – Say No To Censorship Feb 07 '19 at 23:24
  • "You also took it for granted that love for fair skin is a 19-20th century thing and not supported by scripture." - Alright fair point. "you can add a note...", well actually I would be fine with an answer that cites some scripture that says something like "this person is ugly because he is dark," or "dark skin is ugly," or something like that. – Ikshvaku Feb 07 '19 at 23:28
  • Isn't "Dark complexion is hated by good men" euphemism for "dark skin is ugly"? You can't find a more explicit statement than that. @Ikshvaku – Say No To Censorship Feb 07 '19 at 23:46
  • "euphemism for "dark skin is ugly"" It could be taken like that, and initially I did interpret to mean it like that, but then I remembered that it's possible to hate dark skin without thinking it is ugly, like think of pre-1950 American racists. Dark skin is also associated with low castes in India, so that's another reason to have negative opinions of dark skin without thinking it's physically unappealing. – Ikshvaku Feb 07 '19 at 23:48
  • 2
    This story has philosophical meaning. White color represents Jnana (BrahmaJnana). She becomes Uma after tapasya (who is nothing but Omkara Swarupa). All Jnana forms of Shiva, Vishnu and Devi, which are Dakshinamurthy, Hayagreeva Swami and Mata Sarada respectively, are white in color. – The Destroyer Feb 08 '19 at 05:14
1

Vyāsa explains to the Yudhiṣṭhira about various gotras, and he describes the dark skinned Brāhmiṇas's of a certain gotra as Handsome.

Verse 3.2.9.82, Skanda-Purāṇa


अस्मिन्देशे समुत्पन्ना वाडवा दुःसहा नृप ।"
महोत्कटा महाकायाः प्रलंबाश्च मदोद्धताः ॥ ८० ॥
क्लेशरूपाः कृष्णवर्णाः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदाः ।
बहुभुजो मानिनो दक्षा राग द्वेषोपवर्जिताः ॥ ८१ ॥
सुवस्त्रभूषारूपा वै ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मवादिनः ।

  • 80-82a. O king, the Vāḍavas born of this family are unbearable. They are excessively gigantic, of huge bodies, tall and very haughty. Their appearance shows afflictions (due to difficulties?). They are dark-complexioned. They are clever masters of all scriptures. They eat a lot. They are proud and clever. They are devoid of passion and hatred. They are Brāhmaṇas who are devoted to Brahman. They are handsome and they wear good garments and ornaments.

So as per Hinduism and it's scriptures, there's no correlation between skin tone and beauty. A dark-skinned person can be beautiful and handsome as well.

Vivikta
  • 13,289
  • 4
  • 18
  • 81
0

God Rama, the eldest son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya, was dark-skinned [Ref: Valmiki Ramayana 2.88; Brahmanda Purana 2.3.63.193; Vayu Purana 2.26.191 as quoted in 'Essence of the Fifth Veda' by Gaurang Damani pgs 2-3].

God Krishna and Goddess Kali being dark-skinned is well known.

These deities are considered beautiful and extensively worshipped.

Gaurang Damani
  • 613
  • 3
  • 8