Purusha-Strī-Lakṣaṇa (Samudrika-śāstra): Marks of Kingship, Wealth, Longevity, and Conduct
वक्षोभिर्विषमैर्निः स्वः शस्त्रेणनिधनास्तथा / विषमैर्जत्रुभिर्निः स्वा अस्थिनद्धैश्च मानवाः
vakṣobhirviṣamairniḥ svaḥ śastreṇanidhanāstathā / viṣamairjatrubhirniḥ svā asthinaddhaiśca mānavāḥ
胸が歪んでいる者は貧しく苦患を伴って生まれ、ある者は武器によって命を落とす。また鎖骨が不揃いな者も無財に生まれ、骨に包まれ縛られたかのような身(骨の変形)をもつ人も同じく困窮すると説かれる。
Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa)
Concept: Physical inauspiciousness (misshapen chest/collarbones, bony encasement) is linked with poverty; certain marks portend death by weapons.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala as embodied destiny within saṃsāra; impermanence of the body and vulnerability to हिंसा.
Application: As traditional omen-reading; ethically, it underscores the need for non-violence, prudence, and protective governance; personally, cultivate safety and avoid violent entanglements.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65 (inauspicious marks and their phala)
This verse links specific bodily irregularities and life outcomes (poverty or violent death) to karmic fruition, reinforcing the text’s theme that experiences in this life arise from prior actions.
Indirectly, it frames embodied life as karmically conditioned; such teaching supports the Garuda Purana’s broader narrative that the jīva carries results of actions forward, shaping both birth circumstances and death experiences.
Use it to cultivate ethical conduct and compassion: avoid harmful actions that ripen into suffering, and respond to others’ misfortune with support rather than judgment.