Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

युगमीनाङ्कितनरो भवेत्सत्रप्रदो नरः / वज्राकाराश्च धनिनां मत्स्यपुच्छनिभा बुधे

Transliteration

yugamīnāṅkitanaro bhavetsatraprado naraḥ / vajrākārāśca dhanināṃ matsyapucchanibhā budhe

Translation

Ein Mann, der mit dem Zeichen eines Fischpaares gezeichnet ist, wird zum Spender von Opfergaben und frommen Gaben. O Weiser, die Wohlhabenden tragen Zeichen in Gestalt der Vajra, des Donnerkeils, und auch solche, die einem Fischschwanz gleichen.

Word by Word

• युगमीनाङ्कितनरः: a man marked with a pair of fish (sign)
• युगमीनाङ्कितनरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युग-मीन-अङ्कित-नर (प्रातिपदिक; युग=pair, मीन=fish, अङ्कित=marked (√अङ्क्+क्त), नर=man)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भवेत्: would become; would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सत्रप्रदः: a giver of sacrificial gifts/charity
• सत्रप्रदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्र-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक; सत्र=यज्ञ/दान-समूह, प्रद=giver)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नरः: man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वज्राकाराः: thunderbolt-shaped
• वज्राकाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र-आकार (प्रातिपदिक; वज्र=thunderbolt/diamond, आकार=form)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (रेखाः/चिह्नाः implied)

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

• धनिनाम्: of wealthy people
• धनिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• मत्स्यपुच्छनिभाः: resembling a fish-tail
• मत्स्यपुच्छनिभाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्स्य-पुच्छ-निभ (प्रातिपदिक; मत्स्य=fish, पुच्छ=tail, निभ=like)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (रेखाः/चिह्नाः implied)

• बुधे: O wise one
• बुधे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Auspicious bodily marks correlate with dāna and yajña-support (satra-prada) and with wealth; prosperity is framed as linked to merit and generosity.

Vedantic Theme: Wealth (artha) becomes dharmic when aligned with yajña/dāna; sattvic use of resources purifies and supports higher aims.

Application: Use prosperity for public good—support learning, food distribution, temples, healthcare; cultivate regular giving as a discipline that converts artha into puṇya.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65: continuing mark-to-fruit correlations; references to dāna and auspicious signs in nearby verses.

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of bodily marks (aṅkas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats certain marks as karmic indicators—signs associated with generosity in ritual charity and with prosperity (wealth).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

Indirectly: it links visible signs to past merit (puṇya), implying that dharmic actions like sacrificial giving shape one’s worldly status and future outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Focus on dharmic giving—supporting sacred rites, feeding others, and charitable donations—since the text emphasizes generosity as a mark of merit and prosperity.