Shloka 61

Devanagari script

निर्मांसैश्चिपिटैर्भोगाः कृपणा ह्रस्वकर्णकाः / शङ्कुकर्णाश्च राजानो रोमकर्णा गतायुषः

Transliteration

nirmāṃsaiścipiṭairbhogāḥ kṛpaṇā hrasvakarṇakāḥ / śaṅkukarṇāśca rājāno romakarṇā gatāyuṣaḥ

Translation

കൃപണർ ‘മാംസരഹിത’വും ചപ്പറ്റ (നിരസ)വുമായ ഭോഗങ്ങൾ അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു; ചിലർക്കു ചെറുചെവികളുമുണ്ട്. രാജാക്കന്മാരിലും ചിലർക്കു മൂർച്ചയുള്ള ചെവികളോ രോമമുള്ള ചെവികളോ കാണാം; ചിലർ അല്പായുസ്സുകാരാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• निर्मांसैः: with fleshless (ones)
• निर्मांसैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि: + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural); नञ्/निषेधार्थ-तत्पुरुषः (‘मांसं नास्ति’=fleshless); विशेषण

• चिपिटैः: with flat/pressed (ones)
• चिपिटैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिपिट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural); विशेषण

• भोगाः: enjoyers/wealthy persons
• भोगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• कृपणाः: miserly/wretched persons
• कृपणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• ह्रस्वकर्णकाः: short-eared (ones)
• ह्रस्वकर्णकाः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्रस्व + कर्णक (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural); कर्मधारयः (‘ह्रस्वाः कर्णकाः’=short-eared)

• शङ्कुकर्णाः: cone-eared (ones)
• शङ्कुकर्णाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कु + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural); कर्मधारयः (‘शङ्कुवत् कर्णाः’=cone-like ears)

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

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• रोमकर्णाः: hairy-eared (ones)
• रोमकर्णाः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोम + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural); कर्मधारयः (‘रोमयुक्ताः कर्णाः’=hairy ears)

• गतायुषः: short-lived / with life gone
• गतायुषः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural); तत्पुरुषः (‘गतं आयुः येषाम्’=whose lifespan is gone); विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lobha/kṛpaṇatā constricts both enjoyment and bodily flourishing; even royal power does not override karmic marks and mortality (short life).

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra’s leveling force: karma governs embodied outcomes beyond social rank; anitya (impermanence) of āyus and bhoga.

Application: Practice generosity and balanced enjoyment; do not rely on status for security; cultivate merit and self-discipline to support well-being and longevity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65 (continued physiognomic-karmic mapping)

Characters & Entities

• Kings (rājānaḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-based bodily signs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a karmic mapping where traits like miserliness manifest as diminished enjoyment, bodily peculiarities (ear forms), and even reduced lifespan—teaching that inner character shapes future embodiment.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It implies the soul carries impressions of conduct (such as stinginess) into rebirth, where those tendencies ripen as concrete life-conditions—quality of enjoyment, physical traits, and longevity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate generosity and responsible enjoyment; avoid hard-hearted miserliness, since the text frames it as a root cause of diminished well-being and adverse karmic outcomes.