Shloka 21

Kāraṇānvēṣaṇam: The 32 Marks of Hari, Defects (Doṣas), Death-Omens, and Hari’s Omnipresence in Social & Household Life

Devanagari script

खगेन्द्र तस्माल्लक्षणे साम्यचित्तं विश्वादीनां सर्वदा मा कुरुष्व / अष्टाविंशतिं प्राहू रुद्रादिकानां भ्रूनेत्रयोर्लक्षणेनैव हीनाः

Transliteration

khagendra tasmāllakṣaṇe sāmyacittaṃ viśvādīnāṃ sarvadā mā kuruṣva / aṣṭāviṃśatiṃ prāhū rudrādikānāṃ bhrūnetrayorlakṣaṇenaiva hīnāḥ

Translation

Wahai Khagendra, karena itu jangan sekali-kali mengira para Viśva dan kelompok lainnya sama hanya dari tanda lahiriah. Dikatakan bahwa dua puluh delapan dari golongan Rudra dan yang sejenis, kurang pada tanda alis dan (mata ketiga) itu sendiri.

Word by Word

• खगेन्द्र: O Khagendra (Garuḍa)
• खगेन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग+इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (खगानाम् इन्द्रः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: सम्बन्ध (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय/तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात् = therefore/from that (ablatival adverb)

• लक्षणे: in the matter of characteristics
• लक्षणे: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• साम्यचित्तम्: an equal-minded attitude
• साम्यचित्तम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्य+चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (साम्यं चित्तं यस्य/साम्य-चित्तम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of 'kuruṣva'

• विश्वादीनाम्: of the Viśvas and others
• विश्वादीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व+आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (विश्वः आदिः येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय/adverb of time

• मा: do not
• मा: सम्बन्ध (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक particle used with imperative (prohibitive)

• कुरुष्व: do/make
• कुरुष्व: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अष्टाविंशतिम्: twenty-eight
• अष्टाविंशतिम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टा+विंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु समास (अष्टौ + विंशतिः = 28), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; numeral as object

• प्राहुः: they declared/said
• प्राहुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• रुद्रादिकानाम्: of Rudra and others
• रुद्रादिकानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र+आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (रुद्रः आदिः येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• भ्रूनेत्रयोः: of the eyebrows and the eye(s)
• भ्रूनेत्रयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू+नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व समास (भ्रू च नेत्रं च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन

• लक्षणेन: by the characteristic
• लक्षणेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/particle (only/indeed)

• हीनाः: devoid/lacking
• हीनाः: विशेषण (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; predicate adjective (they are lacking)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Do not infer sameness from outward marks; true classification requires deeper lakshana (defining characteristics).

Vedantic Theme: Nama-rupa (name-form) can mislead; discernment (viveka) distinguishes essential from accidental attributes.

Application: Avoid stereotyping: in study, theology, or daily life, verify defining features rather than relying on surface indicators.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.22.20 (context of comparative lakshanas); Garuda Purana 3.22.22 (warning about contemplating defective signs)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Khagendra)
• Vishnu
• Vishvadevas (Viśvas)
• Rudras

FAQs

What is the importance of lakṣaṇa (distinguishing marks) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse warns that outward ‘marks’ are not a reliable basis to assume sameness among divine groups; classification and status cannot be reduced to external features alone.

How does this verse fit the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue in the Garuda Purana?

Vishnu instructs Garuda with doctrinal precision, clarifying that even among exalted beings (Viśvas, Rudras), some may lack specific defining signs—so discernment must be careful and scripturally grounded.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do not judge spiritual worth by external appearance or labels; apply discrimination (viveka) and ethical conduct (dharma) as the real measures of spiritual maturity.