Shloka 9

Devanagari script

यस्याः पाणितले रेखा प्राकारस्तोरणं भवेत् / अपि दासकुले जाता राज्ञीत्वमुपगच्छति

Transliteration

yasyāḥ pāṇitale rekhā prākārastoraṇaṃ bhavet / api dāsakule jātā rājñītvamupagacchati

Translation

A woman whose palm bears a line resembling a fortified wall and gateway—though born even in a servant’s family—attains the status of a queen.

Word by Word

• यस्याः: of whom/whose
• यस्याः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Feminine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• पाणितले: on the palm
• पाणितले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पाणेः तलम्)

• रेखा: a line
• रेखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• प्राकारः: rampart/wall
• प्राकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• तोरणम्: gateway/arch
• तोरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• भवेत्: may be/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 3rd Person, Singular

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• दासकुले: in a servant-family
• दासकुले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दासानां कुलम्)

• जाता: born
• जाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन — Past participle (kta), Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; विशेषण (स्त्री/सा)

• राज्ञीत्वम्: queenship
• राज्ञीत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; भाववाचक (त्व-प्रत्यय)

• उपगच्छति: attains/approaches
• उपगच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present Indicative, 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Auspicious palm signs can override low birth in predicting high station—status as karma-phala rather than mere lineage.

Vedantic Theme: Karma over jāti-pride; worldly hierarchy is contingent; śrī arises from prior causes and can shift unexpectedly.

Application: As cultural motif, encourages seeing potential beyond birth; in modern terms, resist birth-based discrimination and recognize merit/opportunity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: courtly

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.64 (rekhā-lakṣaṇa predicting fortune/status)

FAQs

What is the importance of palm signs (rekhā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats specific palm markings as lakṣaṇas (indicative signs) that are believed to correlate with one’s rise in status, even overriding low birth circumstances.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the post-death journey here; instead, it presents a worldly lakṣaṇa teaching—how bodily signs are read as indicators of fortune and social elevation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a cultural-historical insight into traditional Indian physiognomy: emphasize character and dharma over birth-based limitations, since the verse highlights upliftment beyond origin.