Purusha-Strī-Lakṣaṇa (Samudrika-śāstra): Marks of Kingship, Wealth, Longevity, and Conduct
ऊर्ध्वं द्वाभ्यां पिण्डिकाभ्यां जङ्घे चातिशिरालके / रोमशेचातिमांसे च कुम्भाकारं तथोदरम्
ūrdhvaṃ dvābhyāṃ piṇḍikābhyāṃ jaṅghe cātiśirālake / romaśecātimāṃse ca kumbhākāraṃ tathodaram
Di atas kedua-dua betis, tulang kering tampak terlalu berurat; terlalu berbulu dan terlalu berdaging, dan perut pula menjadi seperti bentuk tempayan.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)
Dosha: Kapha
Concept: Somatic traits are treated as signs of underlying constitution and karmic disposition, used to judge auspiciousness.
Vedantic Theme: Body as a mutable product of causes (karma and guṇa), inviting discernment between self and bodily attributes.
Application: As cultural text: interpret as historical physiognomy; as health cue: note that pot-belly/vein prominence may warrant lifestyle attention without moral judgment.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65.112-114 (continuing bodily mark descriptions; likely further traits and outcomes)
This verse treats certain bodily features (excess veins, hair, flesh, and a pot-belly) as outward indicators of past karma, reinforcing the Purana’s theme that actions leave tangible consequences.
By linking physical form to prior deeds, it implies continuity of karma across lives—what the soul carries forward shapes the embodied experience encountered on its journey.
Use it as a reminder to live ethically and self-disciplined—since the text emphasizes that harmful actions can manifest as suffering and limitations in embodied life.