Shloka 72

Purusha-Strī-Lakṣaṇa (Samudrika-śāstra): Marks of Kingship, Wealth, Longevity, and Conduct

Devanagari script

घनदीर्घासुसक्तभ्रूर्बालेन्दून्नतसुभ्रुवः / आढ्यो निः स्वश्च खण्डभ्रृर्मध्ये च विनतभ्रुवः

Transliteration

ghanadīrghāsusaktabhrūrbālendūnnatasubhruvaḥ / āḍhyo niḥ svaśca khaṇḍabhrṛrmadhye ca vinatabhruvaḥ

Translation

जिसकी भौहें घनी, लंबी और आपस में जुड़ी हों, वह भाग्यशाली होता है; बालचंद्रमा के समान उन्नत भौहें श्रेष्ठता की सूचक हैं। टूटी हुई भौहें धनवान होने का संकेत हैं, जबकि बिना भौहें निर्धनता की; और बीच में झुकी हुई भौहें अशुभ मानी जाती हैं।

Word by Word

• घनदीर्घासु: in thick and long (ones)
• घनदीर्घासु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘in thick and long (brows)’ (contextual locative)

• सक्तभ्रूः: with joined brows
• सक्तभ्रूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सञ्ज्/सज्) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘joined/attached-browed’

• बालेन्दून्नतसुभ्रुवः: having beautiful brows raised like a young moon
• बालेन्दून्नतसुभ्रुवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्नत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-समासः—‘बालेंदुवत् उन्नताः सुभ्रुवः’ (beautiful brows raised like a young moon)

• आढ्यः: wealthy
• आढ्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘wealthy’

• निःस्वः: destitute
• निःस्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘destitute’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• खण्डभ्रूः: with broken brows
• खण्डभ्रूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘broken/fragmented-browed’

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण—‘in the middle’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विनतभ्रुवः: bent-browed (people)
• विनतभ्रुवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from नम्) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘bent/curved-browed’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a physiognomic description section)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Eyebrow configurations are treated as karmic indicators of prosperity, elevation, or poverty; mixed phala suggests complexity of karma beyond single markers.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s multifactor nature within prakriti; cautions against simplistic determinism, hinting at layered causality (sanchita/prarabdha).

Application: Use as a traditional interpretive lens while emphasizing agency: cultivate skills, ethics, and devotion to counter adverse tendencies; read ‘mixed signs’ as need for balanced effort.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65 (brow/forehead lakshana continuum; immediate neighbors 1.65.71 and 1.65.73)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse treats eyebrow-features as omens indicating prosperity, poverty, or general auspiciousness—showing how the text links visible marks with karmic tendencies and life outcomes.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it reflects the Garuda Purana idea that karmic results can appear as outward signs in a person’s body and character, even before afterlife teachings and ritual sections are discussed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a traditional cultural lens rather than deterministic fate: prioritize ethical conduct (dharma) and right action (karma), which the Purana consistently treats as the root of real well-being.