Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीलक्षणनिरूपणं नाम चतुः षष्टितमो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / समुद्रोक्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि नरस्त्रीलक्षणं शुभम् / येन विज्ञातमात्रेण अतीतानागताप्रमा

Transliteration

strīlakṣaṇanirūpaṇaṃ nāma catuḥ ṣaṣṭitamo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / samudroktaṃ pravakṣyāmi narastrīlakṣaṇaṃ śubham / yena vijñātamātreṇa atītānāgatāpramā

Translation

Hari sprach: „Ich werde die glückverheißenden Kennzeichen von Mann und Frau darlegen, wie Samudra sie lehrte; schon durch ihr Verstehen erlangt man Unterscheidungskraft über Vergangenes und Zukünftiges.“

Word by Word

• स्त्रीलक्षणनिरूपणम्: description of women’s characteristics
• स्त्रीलक्षणनिरूपणम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री-लक्षण-निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री + लक्षण + निरूपण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• नाम: named / called
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition/Title marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: संज्ञासूचक-अव्यय (indeclinable indicating title/‘called’)

• चतुःषष्टितमः: sixty-fourth
• चतुःषष्टितमः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुः-षष्टि-तम (प्रातिपदिक; चतुः + षष्टि + तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (64th); विशेषण

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समुद्रोक्तम्: spoken by Samudra
• समुद्रोक्तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्र-उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; समुद्र + उक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; प्र-उपसर्ग

• नरस्त्रीलक्षणम्: characteristics of men and women
• नरस्त्रीलक्षणम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-स्त्री-लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; नर + स्त्री + लक्षण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (नराणां च स्त्रीणां च लक्षणम्)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; करण (instrumental)

• विज्ञातमात्रेण: by mere knowing
• विज्ञातमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-ज्ञात-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक; वि + ज्ञात + मात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (विज्ञातस्य मात्रेण = by mere knowing)

• अतीतानागताप्रमा: knowledge of past and future
• अतीतानागताप्रमा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतीत-अनागत-प्रमा (प्रातिपदिक; अतीत + अनागत + प्रमा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अतीतस्य अनागतस्य च प्रमा = knowledge of past and future)

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa-śāstra as a knowledge-system granting predictive/retrodictive discernment (atīta-anāgata-pramā).

Vedantic Theme: Distinction between empirical knowledge (vyavahārika pramāṇa) and ultimate liberation-knowledge; cultivation of viveka (discernment) within worldly domains.

Application: Study of traditional indicators for decision-making (marriage, leadership, trust); apply with humility, corroboration, and ethical restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65 (chapter heading: strī-lakṣaṇa-nirūpaṇa); Garuda Purana 1.64 (preceding strī-lakṣaṇa verses)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Samudra

FAQs

What is the importance of Strī-lakṣaṇa-nirūpaṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a chapter where Vishnu presents auspicious bodily/behavioral “lakṣaṇas” (signs) for men and women, framed as practical knowledge for discerning character and outcomes.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it sets up a dharmic, this-life method of discernment (lakṣaṇa-knowledge) that guides conduct and choices, which the Purana often links to future results.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a traditional lens for self-assessment and ethical refinement—prioritizing virtues and conduct—rather than as fatalistic prediction.