Shloka 4
Pulaka-Lakṣaṇa (Auspicious Horripilation), Sacred Designs, and Inauspicious Omens
काका (क।)श्वरासभसृगालवृकोग्ररूपैर्गृध्रैः समांसरुधिरार्द्रमुखैरुपेताः / मृत्युप्रदाश्च विदुषा परिवर्जनीया मूल्यं पलस्य कथितं च शतानि पञ्च
kākā (ka.)śvarāsabhasṛgālavṛkograrūpairgṛdhraiḥ samāṃsarudhirārdramukhairupetāḥ / mṛtyupradāśca viduṣā parivarjanīyā mūlyaṃ palasya kathitaṃ ca śatāni pañca
Crows—together with terrifying forms such as dogs, jackals, wolves, and vultures—whose mouths are smeared with flesh and blood, are said to be death-bringing; therefore, the wise should avoid them. The price of a pala is stated to be five hundred (units).
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Ashubha-nimitta and sadachara: avoid death-bringing, blood-smeared scavengers; heed wise counsel; includes a concrete price standard (pala = 500).
Vedantic Theme: Pragmatic dharma: safeguarding life and purity in vyavahara; recognizing tamasic/inauspicious influences without obsession.
Application: Avoid unsafe/contaminated environments and ominous signs; maintain hygiene and risk-awareness; apply standardized measures in transactions.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: nimitta/ashubha-lakshana and avoidance rules; Garuda Purana: measurement/valuation passages (pala, price units)
FAQs
This verse treats certain flesh-and-blood-smeared scavenger-like appearances as inauspicious and “death-bringing,” advising the wise to avoid them as part of maintaining auspicious conduct.
Indirectly: it frames the moment around death as dharmically sensitive, where signs and associations matter; it does not describe the soul’s journey itself but sets an omens-and-avoidance backdrop often connected to death-related sections.
Treat death-related fear and superstition with discernment: keep cleanliness and calm around vulnerable times, avoid harmful or panic-inducing influences, and focus on dharmic duties and appropriate rites rather than obsession with portents.