Shloka 4

Devanagari script

संशुष्कौ पाण्डुरनखौ निः स्वस्य विरलाङ्गुली / मार्गायोत्कण्टकौ पादौ कषायसदृशौ तथा

Transliteration

saṃśuṣkau pāṇḍuranakhau niḥ svasya viralāṅgulī / mārgāyotkaṇṭakau pādau kaṣāyasadṛśau tathā

Translation

Seine Füße sind völlig ausgedörrt; die Nägel sind blass; der Atem geht schwer; die Zehen stehen spärlich. Von den Dornen des Weges aufgeraut, werden die Füße rötlich‑braun, als wären sie mit einem herben Farbstoff (kaṣāya) befleckt.

Word by Word

• संशुष्कौ: very dried up
• संशुष्कौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + शुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative dual; adjectival)

• पाण्डुर-नखौ: having pale nails
• पाण्डुर-नखौ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डुर (प्रातिपदिक) + नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (Masculine, Nominative dual; karmadhāraya compound)

• निःस्वस्य: of a poor man
• निःस्वस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (Masculine, Genitive singular; possessive relation)

• विरल-अङ्गुली: having sparse fingers/toes
• विरल-अङ्गुली: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरल (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (Feminine, Nominative singular; karmadhāraya)

• मार्गाय: for the path / for walking
• मार्गाय: Sampradana (Dative/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान (Masculine, Dative singular; purpose/recipient)

• उत्कण्टकौ: full of protruding thorns (i.e., rough/spiky)
• उत्कण्टकौ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत् + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative dual; adjectival)

• पादौ: the two feet
• पादौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (Masculine, Nominative dual)

• कषाय-सदृशौ: resembling a brown/astringent color
• कषाय-सदृशौ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कषाय (प्रातिपदिक) + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative dual; genitive tatpuruṣa: 'similar to astringent/brownish')

• तथा: thus; also
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चयार्थ (Indeclinable; adverbial 'thus/also')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bodily marks mirror one’s karmic condition and life-circumstances (poverty, hardship, misfortune).

Vedantic Theme: Adhyāsa of identity with the body is exposed by impermanence; suffering functions as a prompt toward vairāgya.

Application: Use adversity as a cue for ethical correction and spiritual practice; cultivate compassion and support for the distressed rather than contempt.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: road/path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of the soul’s arduous path and bodily torments (general thematic parallel); Garuda Purana sections on karma-phala and signs of fortune/misfortune (lakṣaṇa-style passages)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing the preta's feet and condition in Garuda Purana?

This verse uses vivid physical imagery to communicate the hardship of the post-death journey and to underline that karmic burden manifests as suffering, motivating dharmic living and supportive rites for the departed.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It portrays the traveler (preta) as moving along a harsh route where thorns and exhaustion injure the feet, indicating that the journey is not merely symbolic but an experiential passage shaped by one’s deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live ethically to reduce harmful karmic outcomes, and if following tradition, perform prescribed śrāddha/pinda offerings with sincerity as acts of support and remembrance for the departed.