Shloka 92

Purusha-Strī-Lakṣaṇa (Samudrika-śāstra): Marks of Kingship, Wealth, Longevity, and Conduct

Devanagari script

राज्ञ्याः स्निग्धौ समौ पादौ तलौ ताम्रौ नखौ तथा / श्लिष्टाङ्गुली चोन्नताग्रौ तां पाप्य नृपतिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

rājñyāḥ snigdhau samau pādau talau tāmrau nakhau tathā / śliṣṭāṅgulī connatāgrau tāṃ pāpya nṛpatirbhavet

Translation

إذا كانت للملكة قدَمان ناعمتان متساويتان، وأخمصان وأظفار بلون النحاس، وكانت أصابع القدمين متقاربةً ورؤوسها مرتفعةً قليلًا، فإن الرجل الذي ينالها يصير ملكًا.

Word by Word

• rājñyāḥ: of a queen
• rājñyāḥ: Shashthi-Sambandha (Possessive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājñī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• snigdhau: smooth, glossy
• snigdhau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √snih्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• samau: even, equal
• samau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• pādau: two feet
• pādau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• talau: two soles
• talau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• tāmrau: coppery, reddish
• tāmrau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• nakhau: two nails (toenails)
• nakhau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: likewise/also)

• śliṣṭāṅgulī: with joined toes/fingers
• śliṣṭāṅgulī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śliṣṭa + aṅgulī (प्रातिपदिके; śliṣṭa = √śliṣ् क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (aṅgulīḥ śliṣṭāḥ = fingers/toes joined)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• unnatāgrau: having raised tips
• unnatāgrau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: unnata + agra (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (agrau unnatāu = raised tips)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• pāpya: having obtained
• pāpya: Purvakala-Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पा(प्र) + आप्य = प्राप्त्वा (having obtained)

• nṛpatiḥ: king
• nṛpatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ + pati (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nṛṇāṃ patiḥ = lord of men)

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्/विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in discourse to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śubha-lakṣaṇa as a sign of accumulated puṇya manifesting as prosperity and kingship association.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala operating in the empirical realm (vyavahāra); fortune as result of prior causes.

Application: Reflect on how traditions read character/fate through signs; in practice, prioritize virtues and actions over omens.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: palace

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65.93 (continued auspicious foot/ankle marks)

FAQs

What is the importance of auspicious bodily marks in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats physical characteristics as traditional indicators (lakṣaṇas) of fortune; here, specific marks on a queen’s feet are said to confer kingship upon the one who attains her.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not address the after-death journey; it belongs to a lakṣaṇa/omen-based teaching where external signs are linked to worldly outcomes like sovereignty.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Read it as part of classical Indian physiognomy and cultural symbolism—use it for textual study and historical understanding rather than deterministic life decisions.