Shloka 10

Lakṣaṇas of Men: Feet, Shanks, Hair, Genitals, Abdomen, and Lines of Longevity

Forehead & Palm

Devanagari script

सर्पोदरा दरिद्राः स्यू रेखाभिश्चायुरुच्यते / ललाटे यस्य दृश्यन्ते तिस्रो रेखाः समाहिताः

Transliteration

sarpodarā daridrāḥ syū rekhābhiścāyurucyate / lalāṭe yasya dṛśyante tisro rekhāḥ samāhitāḥ

Translation

腹が蛇のような者は貧しいと説かれ、寿命は（身に現れる）線のしるしによって語られる。額に整って明らかな三本の線が見える者は、長寿の顕著な相を備えると示される。

Word by Word

• सर्पोदराः: having a serpent-like belly (pot-bellied)
• सर्पोदराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्प + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (सर्पस्य उदरम् इव उदरं येषाम्)

• दरिद्राः: poor
• दरिद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• रेखाभिः: by/with lines
• रेखाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/declared
• उच्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

• ललाटे: on the forehead
• ललाटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• रेखाः: lines
• रेखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• समाहिताः: well-formed/arranged
• समाहिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; रेखाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (speaking to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodied marks are read as indicators of prior karma’s fruition (daridratā/āyus) manifesting in the body.

Vedantic Theme: Prārabdha-karma shaping the body-mind complex (upādhi) while the Self remains untouched.

Application: Use such signs as prompts for ethical living, charity, and devotion rather than fatalism; treat them as cautionary indicators, not absolute certainties.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.63 (āyur-lakṣaṇa/śarīra-lakṣaṇa context); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections on karma-phala (general thematic link)

FAQs

What is the importance of forehead lines (lalāṭa-rekhā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats bodily lines as omens used to infer life conditions such as longevity; three well-formed forehead lines are presented as a notable indicator in such physiognomic reading.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to teachings on external signs (lakṣaṇa) used to infer worldly outcomes like poverty or longevity, which are understood as karmic results.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a cultural-ethical reminder that actions shape outcomes (karma), rather than as deterministic judgment of a person’s worth; prioritize dharma, health, and charity over superstition.