Shloka 5

Strīlakṣaṇa: Auspicious Marks, Domestic Ideals, and Saubhāgya Practices

Devanagari script

रेखाभिर्बहुभिः क्लेशं स्वल्पाभिर्धनहीनता / रक्ताभिः सुखमाप्नोति कृष्णाभिः प्रेष्यतांव्रजेत्

Transliteration

rekhābhirbahubhiḥ kleśaṃ svalpābhirdhanahīnatā / raktābhiḥ sukhamāpnoti kṛṣṇābhiḥ preṣyatāṃvrajet

Translation

ರೇಖೆಗಳು ಬಹಳಿದ್ದರೆ ಕ್ಲೇಶ ಉಂಟಾಗುತ್ತದೆ; ರೇಖೆಗಳು ಕಡಿಮೆಯಿದ್ದರೆ ಧನಹೀನತೆ ಕಾಣುತ್ತದೆ. ಕೆಂಪು ರೇಖೆಗಳಿಂದ ಸುಖ ಲಭಿಸುತ್ತದೆ; ಕಪ್ಪು ರೇಖೆಗಳಿಂದ ದಾಸ್ಯಸ್ಥಿತಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಬೇಕಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

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

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; विशेषण (रेखाभिः)

• क्लेशम्: distress
• क्लेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• स्वल्पाभिः: by few (lines)
• स्वल्पाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; विशेषण (रेखाभिः)

• धनहीनता: poverty (lack of wealth)
• धनहीनता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + हीनता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/भाव), एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धनस्य हीनता)

• रक्ताभिः: by red (lines)
• रक्ताभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; विशेषण (रेखाभिः)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present Indicative, 3rd Person, Singular

• कृष्णाभिः: by black (lines)
• कृष्णाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; विशेषण (रेखाभिः)

• प्रेष्यताम्: servitude
• प्रेष्यताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; भाववाचक (प्रेष्य-भावः)

• व्रजेत्: would go/come to
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in discourse to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bodily marks are read as indicators of prior karma’s fruition in this life (sukha/kleśa/dhana-hāni/dāsya).

Vedantic Theme: Prārabdha-karma shaping embodied experience; guṇa/karma imprinting the body as a field of results (kṣetra).

Application: Use as a traditional diagnostic of social/financial prospects; ethically, treat as cautionary rather than deterministic judgment of persons.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.64 (stri/palm and bodily mark-lakṣaṇa context)

FAQs

What is the importance of rekhā (lines/marks) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats bodily lines as karmic indicators: their number and color are said to correlate with hardship, poverty, happiness, or servitude.

How does this verse explain karma through physical signs?

It links outward marks (rekhā) with lived outcomes, presenting a traditional lakṣaṇa framework where prior causes (karma) are inferred through observable traits.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reflection on actions and consequences rather than fatalism—prioritize dharmic conduct to shape future outcomes, regardless of external “signs.”