स्वभावमात्मनस्त्यक्त्वा तद्भावगमनादिह । व्याजेन क्रीडया वापि तथा भूयं च वञ्चनात् ॥ १९६॥
Abandoning one’s own natural disposition and adopting the behavior of the other (i.e., the assumed character), whether for disguise, play, or to deceive—this is how one should act.
स्त्री पुंसः प्रकृतिं कुर्यात् स्त्रीभावं पुरुषोऽपि च । धैर्योदार्येण सत्त्वेन बुद्ध्या तद्वच्च कर्मणा ॥ १९७॥
A woman should assume the nature of a man, and a man that of a woman. This should be done with courage, nobility, strength, intelligence, and actions appropriate to that character.
स्त्री पुमांसं त्वभिनयेत् वेषवाक्यविचेष्टितैः । स्त्रीवेषभाषितैर्युक्तं प्रेषिताप्रेषितैस्तथा ॥ १९८॥
A woman should represent a man through dress, speech, and movements; and similarly, a man, assuming a woman’s role, should use her attire and manner of speaking, including gestures both used and avoided by women.
मृदुसन्नगतिश्चैव पुमान् स्त्रीभावमाचरेत् । जातिहीनाश्च या नार्यः पुलिन्दशबराङ्गनाः ॥ १९९॥
A man, in assuming the role of a woman, should adopt a soft and gentle gait. Women of inferior birth, such as those from the Pulinda and Śabara tribes, should have gaits natural to their community.
And the gait of those women should be made in accordance with the customs of their own tribe. For women observing vows, practising austerities, bearing religious marks, or of such spiritual stations, the gait should reflect that condition.