Shloka 94

Purusha-Strī-Lakṣaṇa (Samudrika-śāstra): Marks of Kingship, Wealth, Longevity, and Conduct

Devanagari script

वज्राब्जहलचिह्नौ च दास्याः पादौ ततो ऽन्यथा / जङ्घे च रोमरहिते सुवृत्ते विशिरे शुभे

Transliteration

vajrābjahalacihnau ca dāsyāḥ pādau tato 'nyathā / jaṅghe ca romarahite suvṛtte viśire śubhe

Translation

Kaki seorang dayang mempamerkan tanda vajra (petir suci), teratai dan bajak; betisnya tidak berbulu, bulat seimbang, serta tampak membawa keberkatan yang baik.

Word by Word

• वज्राब्जहलचिह्नौ: having marks of thunderbolt, lotus, plough
• वज्राब्जहलचिह्नौ: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र + अब्ज + हल + चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण—पादौ इति विशेष्यस्य

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

• दास्याः: of the maidservant
• दास्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पादौ: (her) two feet
• पादौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (adverb: thereafter/then)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—प्रकारार्थक (adverb: otherwise/differently)

• जङ्घे: (her) two shanks/legs
• जङ्घे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

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

• रोमरहिते: hairless
• रोमरहिते: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोम + रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण—जङ्घे इति विशेष्यस्य

• सुवृत्ते: well-rounded
• सुवृत्ते: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण—जङ्घे इति विशेष्यस्य

• विशिरे: tapering/slender (towards the end)
• विशिरे: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + शिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण—जङ्घे इति विशेष्यस्य

• शुभे: auspicious/beautiful
• शुभे: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण—जङ्घे इति विशेष्यस्य

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Auspicious bodily marks (stri-lakshana) as traditional indicators within social/household norms.

Vedantic Theme: Prakriti-guna and karma-samskara inferred through external signs (conventional, not ultimate).

Application: Read as cultural anthropology/tekstual tradition; apply ethically by avoiding objectification and treating such descriptions as historical norms rather than moral worth.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.65 (stri-pum-lakshana context, adjacent verses on bodily marks)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Dāsī (maidservant)

FAQs

What is the importance of bodily signs (lakṣaṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats physical marks—especially on the feet and legs—as indicators of a person’s social station and life-pattern, reflecting the text’s samudrika (physiognomic) framework.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the after-death journey; instead, it belongs to a section on external signs and their implications in worldly life, spoken in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a historical lens on traditional Indian physiognomy rather than a deterministic rule—prioritize ethical conduct (dharma) over judging destiny by bodily features.