Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

शतायुषं च कुरुते छिन्नया तरुतो भयम् / निः स्वाश्च बहुरेखाः स्युनिर्द्रव्याश्चिबुकैः कृशैः

Transliteration

śatāyuṣaṃ ca kurute chinnayā taruto bhayam / niḥ svāśca bahurekhāḥ syunirdravyāścibukaiḥ kṛśaiḥ

Translation

ৰেখা ছিন্ন হ’লে মৃত্যুভয় জন্মে; ৰেখা দীঘল হ’লে শতায়ু কৰে। নিঃস্ব লোকৰ ৰেখা বহু হয়; তেওঁলোক দ্ৰব্যহীন হয় আৰু চিবুক কৃশ-শীর্ণ হয়।

Word by Word

• शतायुषम्: one with a hundred-year lifespan
• शतायुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतायु (प्रातिपदिक: शत+आयुस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—शत-आयुस् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः: ‘शतं आयुः यस्य’)

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

• कुरुते: makes/causes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष? (No) मध्यम? (No) — उत्तमपुरुष? (No); प्रथमा-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• छिन्नया: by/with a cut (line)
• छिन्नया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (कृदन्त; छिद् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (PPP) ‘छिद्’ धातोः, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे

• तरुतः: from a tree
• तरुतः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (वैकल्पिकरूपेण षष्ठी अपि सम्भवति); अपादानभावः

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• निः: without
• निः: Upasarga/Modifier (Prefix/उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निः (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (prefix-like particle), ‘विना/निर्-’ अर्थे; अत्र ‘निःस्वा’ इत्यत्र समासपूर्वपद

• स्वाः: destitute/without wealth
• स्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—निः-स्व (अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषभावः: ‘स्वं नास्ति यस्य’)

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

• बहुरेखाः: having many lines
• बहुरेखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु+रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—बहु-रेखा (कर्मधारयः: ‘बह्व्यः रेखाः यस्य/यासाम्’)

• स्युः: would be/are (said to be)
• स्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• निर्द्रव्याः: without possessions
• निर्द्रव्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक: निर्+द्रव्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—निर्-द्रव्य (अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषभावः: ‘द्रव्यं नास्ति यासाम्’)

• चिबुकैः: with chins
• चिबुकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिबुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करणभावे (with chins)

• कृशैः: thin/lean
• कृशैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘चिबुकैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Life-span and material condition are read as karmic outcomes indicated by bodily lines and features; signs warn against complacency.

Vedantic Theme: Impermanence of embodied life (anityatā) alongside karma-phala; prompts vairāgya without denying worldly duties.

Application: Let mortality-awareness motivate dharma: health vigilance, ethical livelihood, charity, and disciplined living; avoid fatalism—use warnings as impetus for corrective action.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65.49-52 (context of rekhā-phala)

FAQs

What is the importance of bodily signs (rekhā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats bodily lines/marks as indicators of lifespan and fortune—suggesting that longevity and poverty can be inferred from specific visible features.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by linking destiny-like outcomes (longevity, poverty) with observable signs, it reflects the Purana’s broader karmic framework in which past actions shape embodied conditions that later influence one’s life and post-death trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a prompt for ethical living and self-discipline: rather than fatalism about “signs,” focus on karma-oriented conduct (dharma, charity, restraint) that the Garuda Purana repeatedly emphasizes as improving one’s life and afterlife.