Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थपत्रसदृशं विपुलं गुह्यमुत्तमम् / नाभिः प्रशस्ता गम्भीरा दक्षिणावर्तिका शुभा / अरोमा त्रिवली नार्या हृत्स्तनौ रोमवर्जितौ

Transliteration

aśvatthapatrasadṛśaṃ vipulaṃ guhyamuttamam / nābhiḥ praśastā gambhīrā dakṣiṇāvartikā śubhā / aromā trivalī nāryā hṛtstanau romavarjitau

Translation

Her most excellent private region is broad and well-concealed, like a sacred aśvattha leaf. Her navel is praised—deep, auspicious, and right-turning. There she is hairless; her abdomen bears three folds, and her chest and breasts are free of hair.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थपत्रसदृशम्: resembling an aśvattha leaf
• अश्वत्थपत्रसदृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अश्वत्थ-पत्र-सदृश (प्रातिपदिक; अश्वत्थ + पत्र + सदृश)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; विशेषण

• विपुलम्: broad
• विपुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• गुह्यम्: secret / private
• गुह्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक; √गुह् (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत्-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नाभिः: navel
• नाभिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रशस्ता: well-formed / praised
• प्रशस्ता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शंस् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण

• गम्भीरा: deep
• गम्भीरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्भीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• दक्षिणावर्तिका: right-turning (clockwise)
• दक्षिणावर्तिका: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण-आवर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक; दक्षिण + आवर्तिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; विशेषण

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अरोमा: hairless
• अरोमा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-रोम (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष; विशेषण

• त्रिवली: having three folds
• त्रिवली: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-वली (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + वली)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three folds); विशेषण

• नार्याः: of the woman
• नार्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• हृत्स्तनौ: heart and breasts (the two)
• हृत्स्तनौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्-स्तन (प्रातिपदिक; हृत् + स्तन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (हृत् च स्तनौ च)

• रोमवर्जितौ: devoid of hair
• रोमवर्जितौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोम-वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; रोम + वर्जित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used adjectivally

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Auspicious bodily signs (nabhī, dakṣiṇāvarta, tri-valī) are read as indicators of fortune and благоприятность (śubhatva) in worldly life.

Vedantic Theme: Symbolic sacralization of the body within vyavahāra; auspicious ‘signs’ as conventional indicators, not determinants of ātman or mokṣa.

Application: Traditional use in samudrika assessment; culturally, it encodes ideals of health, symmetry, and auspicious orientation (dakṣiṇāvarta).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.64 (stri-lakshana sequence); Garuda Purana 1.65 (systematized nara-stri-lakshana; Samudra-ukta)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of auspicious bodily signs (lakṣaṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats certain physical features—like a deep, right-turning navel and specific bodily characteristics—as traditional indicators of auspiciousness and favorable fortune.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the soul’s journey or afterlife themes here; instead, it belongs to a section describing bodily marks (lakṣaṇa) and auspicious characteristics.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Read it as a historical-cultural lens on traditional auspicious-sign literature; prioritize ethical conduct and dharma over judging worth by physical traits.