Shloka 15

Strīlakṣaṇa: Auspicious Marks, Domestic Ideals, and Saubhāgya Practices

Devanagari script

अस्वेदिनौ मूदुतलौ प्रशस्तौ चरणौ स्त्रियाः / शुभे जङ्घे विरोमे च ऊरू हस्तिकरोपमौ

Transliteration

asvedinau mūdutalau praśastau caraṇau striyāḥ / śubhe jaṅghe virome ca ūrū hastikaropamau

Translation

స్త్రీ పాదాలు చెమటలేక మృదుతలములతో ఉన్నప్పుడు శుభమని ప్రశంసింపబడతాయి; ఆమె జంఘలు శుభ్రముగా రోమరహితమై, ఊరులు హస్తి శుండసమానమై ఉంటాయి।

Word by Word

• अस्वेदिनौ: non-sweating
• अस्वेदिनौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-स्वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक; स्वेदिन् from √स्विद् (धातु) with नञ्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• मूदुतलौ: soft-soled
• मूदुतलौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूदु-तल (प्रातिपदिक; मूदु + तल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; विशेषण

• प्रशस्तौ: well-formed / praised
• प्रशस्तौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शंस् (धातु) + प्र- उपसर्ग, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally

• चरणौ: the two feet
• चरणौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• स्त्रियाः: of a woman
• स्त्रियाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• जङ्घे: the two shanks/legs
• जङ्घे: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• विरोमे: hairless
• विरोमे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-रोम (प्रातिपदिक; अ-रोम/वि-रोम = hairless)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण

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

• ऊरू: the two thighs
• ऊरू: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• हस्तिकरोपमौ: like an elephant’s trunk
• हस्तिकरोपमौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्ति-कर-उपम (प्रातिपदिक; हस्ति + कर + उपम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (हस्तिकरस्य उपमौ = like an elephant’s trunk/hand); विशेषण

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Samudrika-lakshana: auspicious bodily marks as indicators of fortune, character, and marital/household prosperity.

Vedantic Theme: Prakriti and guna expressed through embodied signs; worldly lakshana-jnana as a conventional (vyavaharika) tool, not ultimate truth.

Application: Used in traditional matchmaking/royal selection and for reading ‘shubha-ashubha’ indications; encourages attention to cleanliness, health, and auspicious comportment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.64 (stri-lakshana context); Garuda Purana 1.65 (nara-stri-lakshana; Samudra-ukta)

FAQs

What is the importance of strī-lakṣaṇa (auspicious marks of women) in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse treats certain bodily features as traditional indicators of auspiciousness and well-being, reflecting the Purāṇic lakṣaṇa (mark-based) approach used in Ācāra/Dharma contexts.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the after-death journey; it belongs to the Ācāra Kāṇḍa section describing auspicious physical characteristics (lakṣaṇas) rather than preta/yama-loka narratives.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Read it as a historical-cultural description of traditional auspicious traits; in practice, prioritize dharma, character, and conduct over physical omens when applying Purāṇic guidance.