Shloka 51

Devanagari script

नखा मलाश्रया ह्येते विण्मूत्रञ्चेत्यनन्तकम् / शुक्रशोणितसंयोगादेतत् षाट्कौशिकं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

nakhā malāśrayā hyete viṇmūtrañcetyanantakam / śukraśoṇitasaṃyogādetat ṣāṭkauśikaṃ smṛtam

Translation

Nails are indeed supported by bodily impurities; likewise feces and urine are produced without end. From the union of semen (śukra) and blood (śoṇita) this body arises; this teaching is remembered as the Ṣāṭkauśika doctrine.

Word by Word

• नखाः: nails
• नखाः: Karta (Enumerated subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्ता (in list)

• मल-आश्रयाः: having impurity as their basis
• मल-आश्रयाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मलस्य आश्रयः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle, emphasis)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• विण्: feces
• विण्: Karta (Enumerated item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विण्/विट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• मूत्रम्: urine
• मूत्रम्: Karta (Enumerated item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासोत्तरपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-paryavasana (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• अनन्तकम्: (called) ‘anantaka’
• अनन्तकम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्तृपूरक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नाम (designation)

• शुक्र-शोणित-संयोगात्: from the union of semen and blood
• शुक्र-शोणित-संयोगात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक) + संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शुक्रशोणितयोः संयोगः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; हेत्वपादान (from/owing to)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• षाट्कौशिकम्: sixfold (ṣāṭkauśika)
• षाट्कौशिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षाट् (षट्-सम्बद्ध संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षट्-कौशिकम् = sixfold/pertaining to six ‘kauśika’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृतम्: is said/considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘is said/remembered’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue, instructing Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Body as a product of śukra-śoṇita (semen and blood) and sustained amid impurities; attribution to Ṣāṭkauśika doctrine indicates a recognized explanatory tradition.

Vedantic Theme: Asubhatā of the body and impermanence of embodied identity; knowledge used to weaken attachment (vairāgya) and strengthen pursuit of the higher Self.

Application: Use reflection on bodily composition to reduce pride, lust, and possessiveness; cultivate disciplined conduct and devotion beyond bodily fixation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: bodily/biological context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.50 (mala loci); Garuda Purana 2.32.52 (bodily enumeration: hairs/teeth)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of the Ṣāṭkauśika teaching in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the Ṣāṭkauśika framing to emphasize the body’s impure, perishable composition, encouraging dispassion and right focus on dharma rather than bodily identification.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

By highlighting that the body arises from material causes (semen and blood) and is sustained by impurities, it supports the Purana’s broader teaching that the soul’s journey after death is distinct from the decaying physical body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate detachment and ethical living: care for the body as a duty, but prioritize purity of conduct, charity, and remembrance of the divine over obsession with physical appearance.