This facial down is the luster on the mirror of secrets, and calling it the musk of Khotan is entirely appropriate.
In this couplet, the poet tenderly admires the first soft down emerging on the beloved's cheek, marking the threshold of youthful maturity. Rather than seeing this faint shadow as a flaw, he compares it to the delicate texture of a polished steel mirror that reveals unseen wonders. By equating it to the legendary, intoxicating musk of Khotan, he suggests that this subtle shade only makes the beloved's beauty rarer and more captivating.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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