Shloka 11

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

Forehead & Palm

Devanagari script

सुखी पुत्रसमायुक्तः स षष्टिं जीवते नरः / चत्वारिंशच्च वर्षाणि द्विरेखादर्शनान्नरः

Transliteration

sukhī putrasamāyuktaḥ sa ṣaṣṭiṃ jīvate naraḥ / catvāriṃśacca varṣāṇi dvirekhādarśanānnaraḥ

Translation

A man who is happy and blessed with sons is said to live for sixty years. But a man who bears the sign of a “double line” lives for forty years.

Word by Word

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गुणविशेषण

• पुत्रसमायुक्तः: endowed with sons
• पुत्रसमायुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + सम्-आ-युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘समायुक्त’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (पुत्रैः समायुक्तः/पुत्रसम्बन्धेन युक्तः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• षष्टिम्: sixty (years)
• षष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (years understood)

• जीवते: lives
• जीवते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

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

• चत्वारिंशत्: forty
• चत्वारिंशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे (varṣāṇi इति विशेष्ये), द्वितीया, बहुवचनार्थे; संख्याविशेषण

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

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कालपरिमाण

• द्विरेखादर्शनात्: from seeing two lines
• द्विरेखादर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + रेखा + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (द्वे रेखे इति द्विरेखे; तयोः दर्शनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Householder prosperity and continuity (putra) are treated as auspicious correlates of a stable life-span; bodily signs still delimit prārabdha.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma supports order in vyavahāra, yet āyus remains under prārabdha; cultivate equanimity toward measures of time.

Application: Value family responsibility and ethical livelihood; simultaneously prepare spiritually and practically for life’s uncertainty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.63.10–14 (sequence of āyus-lakṣaṇa by lines)

FAQs

What is the importance of longevity signs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats external signs and life-conditions (happiness, progeny, and specific marks like ‘double lines’) as indicators traditionally used to estimate lifespan.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by discussing the expected length of embodied life, it frames human birth as time-bound—encouraging timely practice of dharma before death-related teachings (preta and afterlife topics) become relevant.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to value family responsibilities and inner well-being, and to live dharmically without postponing spiritual practice, since lifespan is uncertain.