Shloka 18

Lakṣaṇas of Men: Feet, Shanks, Hair, Genitals, Abdomen, and Lines of Longevity

Forehead & Palm

Devanagari script

कनिष्ठिकां समाश्रित्य आयूरेखा समाविशेत् / अच्छिन्ना वा विभक्ता वा स जीवेच्छरदः शतम्

Transliteration

kaniṣṭhikāṃ samāśritya āyūrekhā samāviśet / acchinnā vā vibhaktā vā sa jīveccharadaḥ śatam

Translation

যদি আয়ুরেখা কনিষ্ঠিকার দিকে ঝুঁকে প্রবেশ করে, তবে তা অখণ্ড হোক বা খণ্ডিত—তার ধারক শত শরৎকাল জীবিত থাকে।

Word by Word

• कनिष्ठिकाम्: the little finger
• कनिष्ठिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• समाश्रित्य: having taken refuge in/depending on
• समाश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having resorted to/depending on'

• आयुरेखा: the lifeline
• आयुरेखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आयुषः रेखा)

• समाविशेत्: would enter/extend into
• समाविशेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अच्छिन्ना: unbroken
• अच्छिन्ना: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-छिन्न (कृदन्त; छिद् धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निषेध (unbroken); (आयुरेखा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• विभक्ता: divided/branched
• विभक्ता: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-भज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्यय (क्त) कृदन्त; (आयुरेखा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जीवेत्: would live
• जीवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शरदः: years
• शरदः: Karma (Object/Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म; कालपरिमाण), बहुवचन

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म; परिमाण), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Variations in āyū-rekhā (toward little finger; unbroken or segmented) can still signify long life.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s outcomes are nuanced; external signs admit multiple configurations without negating auspicious results.

Application: Avoid over-reading imperfections; maintain steady life-supporting habits even when indicators seem mixed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.63.16-17 (definition and placement of āyū-rekhā); Garuda Purana 1.63.19 (general assertion of longevity line and enjoyment)

FAQs

What is the importance of āyūrekhā (life-line) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the āyūrekhā as a prognostic sign: when it trends toward the little finger, it indicates full longevity—up to a hundred years—even if the line is segmented.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the post-death journey here; instead, it gives a bodily omen (life-line) used to infer remaining lifespan, which precedes the soul’s later after-death narratives elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a traditional reflection on life’s uncertainty: prioritize dharma and ethical living rather than relying solely on omens, while recognizing the text’s cultural interest in auspicious signs.