S. R. Faruqi:

This verse is a masterpiece in its sensuality and intimacy [rang-o-sang]. Such delicacy in erotic expression, such a powerful feeling of intimacy and nearness-- and even so, not a single word speaks plainly about the matter. Only a very great poet can be such a master of expression.

Apparently it speaks of the beloved's delicacy and the tightness of her garments, but in reality the implication is that he has seen the beloved without clothing. Because if that had not been the case, how would he have known that the tight clothing has made a crease on her body, and how would he have known that the crease even now remained on her body?

It's clear that several days had passed since she wore the tight clothing, and in those several days he had seen her again and again, so that he learned that the crease that had been made on her body even now remained. In kap;Re badle there's also a kind of homey-ness, and in the mention of the clothes-changing girl an erotic pleasure as well.

It can be said that it's possible that the speaker might not have seen the beloved unclothed, but might only have assumed that since she's delicate of body, the tight clothing would certainly have left a crease on her body. It's obvious that this possibility exists, but the whole tone [lahjah] of the verse, its intimacy and affection, the clothes-changing, the detail of several days passing, all these tell the tale that in reality he has seen the beloved unclothed, and has seen creases on her body.

There remains the question whether in fact tight clothes do make a crease on the body. For the answer, ask someone who wears tight clothing. It's not at all a far-fetched idea.

[See also {859,5}.]

FWP:

SETS
MOTIFS == CLOTHING/NAKEDNESS; EROTIC SUGGESTION
NAMES
TERMS == IMPLICATION

The verse is indeed a superb example of the powers of 'implication'.

Here it is easy to agree with SRF's ascription of 'tone', though it will also be hard to separate the tone from the clear use of 'implication'. (For further discussion of this difficult issue, see {724,2}.)

Note for translation fans: We have to guard against making the first line sound inadvertently amusing! 'It's been several days since she changed those clothes' sounds like a complaint about her hygiene-- doesn't she change her clothes, doesn't she even bathe? Even if we said 'It's been several days since she removed those clothes', the effect would either be the same, or else might suggest that she had since been going around naked. The best option might be 'She hasn't worn those clothes for several days now' or 'She wore those clothes several days ago'. But as usual, I want to be as clunkily literal as possible.