Shloka 1
Strīlakṣaṇa: Auspicious Marks, Domestic Ideals, and Saubhāgya Practices
पुंल्लक्षणनिरूपणं नाम त्रिषष्टितमो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / यस्यास्तु कुञ्चिताः केशा मुखं च परिमण्डलम् / नाभिश्च दक्षिणावर्ता सा कन्या कुलवर्धिनी
puṃllakṣaṇanirūpaṇaṃ nāma triṣaṣṭitamo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / yasyāstu kuñcitāḥ keśā mukhaṃ ca parimaṇḍalam / nābhiśca dakṣiṇāvartā sā kanyā kulavardhinī
Hari said: “That maiden whose hair is naturally curly, whose face is well-rounded, and whose navel turns to the right is one who increases and uplifts her family line.”
Lord Vishnu (Hari)
Concept: Auspicious bodily marks (strī-lakṣaṇa) are taken as indicators of śrī (prosperity) and kula-vṛddhi (lineage uplift).
Vedantic Theme: Guṇa and prārabdha reflected in embodied form; śrī as a sign of dharmic alignment in worldly life.
Application: In traditional contexts, used in evaluating marital compatibility/auspiciousness; in modern use, treat as cultural anthropology rather than deterministic judgment.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.64 (Puṃllakṣaṇa/strīlakṣaṇa chapter context)
FAQs
This verse treats certain natural features as indicators of auspicious destiny and household well-being, framing them within dharmic ideals of prosperity and lineage continuity.
It does not discuss the afterlife here; it belongs to the Ācāra section, focusing on worldly indicators (lakṣaṇa) and their perceived dharmic outcomes rather than the soul’s post-death journey.
Read it as a cultural-historical teaching on traditional “auspiciousness,” while prioritizing ethical conduct and character as the practical basis for family welfare.