Shloka 53

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

सप्त लक्षाणि केशाः स्युर्नखाः प्रोक्तास्तु विंशतिः / मांसं पलसहस्रैकं सामान्याद्देहसंस्थितम्

Transliteration

sapta lakṣāṇi keśāḥ syurnakhāḥ proktāstu viṃśatiḥ / māṃsaṃ palasahasraikaṃ sāmānyāddehasaṃsthitam

Translation

It is said that there are seven lakhs of hairs, and the nails are declared to be twenty. The flesh, in an average human body, is stated to amount to one thousand and one palas, as ordinarily constituted.

Word by Word

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (Numeral used adjectivally), नपुंसकलिङ्गे बहुवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया (agreeing with लक्षाणि)

• लक्षाणि: lakhs (hundred-thousands)
• लक्षाणि: Pradhana-vishaya (Topic/प्रधानीय विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• केशाः: hairs
• केशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• स्युः: would be/are said to be
• स्युः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• नखाः: nails
• नखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• प्रोक्ताः: declared/said
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicative participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नखाः इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• विंशतिः: twenty
• विंशतिः: Pramana (Measure/प्रमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचकः

• मांसम्: flesh
• मांसम्: Karta/Pradhana-vishaya (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पलसहस्रैकम्: one thousand palas (in weight)
• पलसहस्रैकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पलानां सहस्रम् + एकम्) इति परिमाणवाचक-समासः; मांसम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सामान्यात्: from the general (standard) measure
• सामान्यात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते

• देहसंस्थितम्: situated in the body
• देहसंस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; सम्+स्था धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (देहे संस्थितम्) ; मांसम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deha-parimāṇa-jñāna (knowledge of bodily composition/measure) to reduce identification with the body.

Vedantic Theme: Dehātma-bhrānti-nivṛtti (loosening the error of taking the body as Self); prakṛti-vikāra as measurable and impermanent.

Application: Use the quantified, composite nature of the body as a contemplation for vairāgya and ethical restraint (avoid pride/vanity; cultivate sobriety about embodiment).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.54-57 (continued bodily measures; karma conclusion)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of body-measure descriptions in the Garuda Purana?

This verse quantifies bodily components (hair, nails, flesh) to emphasize the body’s material, measurable nature—supporting the text’s broader teaching that the self’s journey after death is distinct from perishable physical matter.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Preta Kanda?

By detailing the body’s constituents, the narrative frames the corpse as a temporary aggregate, preparing the listener for teachings on the preta’s post-death condition and the necessity of rites that aid the departed beyond the physical body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reflection on impermanence: prioritize dharma and ethical living, and approach death-related duties (shraddha, pinda-dana) with seriousness, recognizing the body as transient while actions (karma) have continuing consequences.