Shloka 49
Kāraṇānvēṣaṇam: The 32 Marks of Hari, Defects (Doṣas), Death-Omens, and Hari’s Omnipresence in Social & Household Life
भगे नेत्रे च हस्ते च स्तने कुक्षौ तथैव च / भारत्यपेक्षया पञ्चभिर्न्यूना त्वस्ति लक्षणैः
bhage netre ca haste ca stane kukṣau tathaiva ca / bhāratyapekṣayā pañcabhirnyūnā tvasti lakṣaṇaiḥ
Pada bahagian kemaluan, pada mata, pada tangan, pada payudara, dan juga pada perut—berbanding dengan wanita Bhāratī (India)—engkau kekurangan lima tanda jasmani.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)
Concept: Physiognomic comparison is used to classify auspiciousness/fortune; the verse exemplifies how cultural norms shape ‘ideal’ markers.
Vedantic Theme: Limited: illustrates loka-dharma and saṃskāra-based valuation; reminds that empirical criteria are contingent (vyāvahārika) rather than ultimate (pāramārthika).
Application: Read critically as a period-specific social text; avoid using such criteria for discrimination; translate the intent into concern for health and dignity rather than body-based ranking.
Primary Rasa: hasya
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: region/cultural reference
Related Themes: 3.22.48 on the list of marks; continuation of strī-lakṣaṇa enumeration
FAQs
This verse uses lakṣaṇa as a diagnostic-style description—specific physical features are compared to a standard (here, a Bhāratī), showing how the text classifies and distinguishes forms by observable marks.
Indirectly: in the Preta Kanda, such descriptive markers support the broader narrative of identifying conditions and states connected with embodied existence; it complements discussions on the subtle/physical condition rather than detailing the soul’s route explicitly.
Use it as a reminder that the Purana often teaches through careful observation and classification—encouraging discernment, self-examination, and a disciplined approach to dharma-oriented living.