Shloka 1

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

Forehead & Palm

Devanagari script

शुभाशुभस्थानादिनिरूपणं नामैकपष्टितमो ऽध्यायः प्रमाणादिनिरूपणं नाम द्विषष्टितमो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / नरस्त्रीलक्षणं वक्ष्ये संक्षपाच्छृणु शङ्कर / अस्वेदिनौ मृदुतलौ कमलोदरसन्निभौ

Transliteration

śubhāśubhasthānādinirūpaṇaṃ nāmaikapaṣṭitamo 'dhyāyaḥ pramāṇādinirūpaṇaṃ nāma dviṣaṣṭitamo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / narastrīlakṣaṇaṃ vakṣye saṃkṣapācchṛṇu śaṅkara / asvedinau mṛdutalau kamalodarasannibhau

Translation

Hari said: “O Śaṅkara, listen in brief. I shall describe the marks of men and women. (Their soles) are not prone to sweating, are soft to the touch, and resemble the inner part of a lotus.”

Word by Word

• शुभाशुभस्थानादिनिरूपणम्: the exposition of auspicious/inauspicious places etc.
• शुभाशुभस्थानादिनिरूपणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ + अशुभ + स्थान + आदि + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रधान समास (determinative: ‘of auspicious/inauspicious places etc.’)

• नाम: named, called
• नाम: Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: संज्ञार्थक-अव्यय (quotative/label marker: ‘called’)

• एकपष्टितमः: sixty-first
• एकपष्टितमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + पष्टि + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal) विशेषण (qualifying अध्यायः)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• प्रमाणादिनिरूपणम्: the exposition of measures etc.
• प्रमाणादिनिरूपणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण + आदि + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘exposition of measures etc.’)

• नाम: named, called
• नाम: Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: संज्ञार्थक-अव्यय

• द्विषष्टितमः: sixty-second
• द्विषष्टितमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + षष्टि + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (qualifying अध्यायः)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect 3rd sg

• नरस्त्रीलक्षणम्: the characteristics of men and women
• नरस्त्रीलक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + स्त्री + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘characteristics of man and woman’)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall describe
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Simple future 1st sg

• संक्षपात्: briefly
• संक्षपात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial ablative sense: ‘briefly’)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperative 2nd sg

• शङ्कर: O Śaṅkara
• शङ्कर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• अस्वेदिनौ: non-sweating
• अस्वेदिनौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + स्वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying चरणौ implied)

• मृदुतलौ: soft-soled
• मृदुतलौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (‘soft-soled’), विशेषण

• कमलोदरसन्निभौ: resembling the inside of a lotus
• कमलोदरसन्निभौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कमल + उदर + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘resembling the belly/inside of a lotus’), विशेषण

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa-śāstra: external marks are read as indicators of inner fortune/fitness; auspicious feet are described as signs of excellence.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa and karma are inferred in vyavahāra through observable tendencies; the teaching remains within empirical convention, not ultimate reality.

Application: In leadership/partner selection, value wholesome traits (gentleness, steadiness) symbolized by ‘soft, lotus-like’ feet; treat physiognomy as metaphorical guidance rather than prejudice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.63 (nara-strī-lakṣaṇa section); Garuda Purana 1.62 (pramāṇa/criteria—methodological preface to assessment)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Shankara

FAQs

What is the importance of nara–strī lakṣaṇa (marks of men and women) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a concise teaching on identifying auspicious characteristics (lakṣaṇas), linking bodily signs with śubha/śubha indications used in traditional dharma-oriented assessment.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or afterlife doctrines?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it frames a dharmic discourse on auspicious/inauspicious indicators, which in the Purana’s broader worldview relate to karma and one’s life circumstances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat such descriptions as part of historical dharmic literature—use them for cultural understanding and self-reflection, while prioritizing ethical conduct (dharma) over external signs.