Shloka 20

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

Forehead & Palm

Devanagari script

कनिष्ठिकां समाश्रित्य मध्यमायामुपागता / षष्ठिवर्षायुषं कुर्यादायूरेखा तु मानवम्

Transliteration

kaniṣṭhikāṃ samāśritya madhyamāyāmupāgatā / ṣaṣṭhivarṣāyuṣaṃ kuryādāyūrekhā tu mānavam

Translation

Wenn die Lebenslinie (āyu-rekhā), am kleinen Finger ruhend, bis zur mittleren Phalanx reicht, heißt es, dass die Lebensspanne des Menschen sechzig Jahre beträgt.

Word by Word

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

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to; depending on
• समाश्रित्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+आ+श्रि (धातु) → समाश्रित्य (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• मध्यमायाम्: in the middle (finger/phalange)
• मध्यमायाम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• उपागता: has reached; has extended
• उपागता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+आ+गम् (धातु) → उपागत (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘arrived/extended’

• षष्ठिवर्षायुषम्: a lifespan of sixty years
• षष्ठिवर्षायुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठि-तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठिवर्षस्य आयुः = sixty-year lifespan)

• कुर्यात्: would make; indicates
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• आयुःरेखा: lifeline
• आयुःरेखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आयुषः रेखा)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• मानवम्: a human (person)
• मानवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Āyus (lifespan) is indicated by bodily marks; human life-span is measurable/foretold through signs.

Vedantic Theme: Prārabdha-karma shaping embodied life (deha) and its duration; acceptance of finitude.

Application: Use as a traditional palmistry rule of thumb for estimating longevity; cultivate prudence and dharmic living given limited time.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.63 (āyu-rekhā and bodily marks context); Garuda Purana 1.64 (continuation into lakṣaṇa/physiognomy)

FAQs

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

This verse treats āyu-rekhā as a traditional sign used to infer longevity, linking a specific reach of the line to a sixty-year lifespan.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the post-death journey directly; instead, it provides a prognostic sign about lifespan, which frames when death-related rites and afterlife teachings become relevant.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a cultural-textual reference rather than deterministic fate: focus on dharma, health, and preparedness for rites and ethical living, since longevity signs are presented as indicative, not a substitute for right conduct.