Shloka 4

Pulaka-Lakṣaṇa (Auspicious Horripilation), Sacred Designs, and Inauspicious Omens

Devanagari script

काका (क।)श्वरासभसृगालवृकोग्ररूपैर्गृध्रैः समांसरुधिरार्द्रमुखैरुपेताः / मृत्युप्रदाश्च विदुषा परिवर्जनीया मूल्यं पलस्य कथितं च शतानि पञ्च

Transliteration

kākā (ka.)śvarāsabhasṛgālavṛkograrūpairgṛdhraiḥ samāṃsarudhirārdramukhairupetāḥ / mṛtyupradāśca viduṣā parivarjanīyā mūlyaṃ palasya kathitaṃ ca śatāni pañca

Translation

కాకులు—మరియు కుక్కలు, నక్కలు, తోడేళ్లు, గద్దలు వంటి భయంకర రూపాలు—వాటి నోరు మాంసం, రక్తంతో తడిసినవైతే, అవి మరణప్రదమని చెప్పబడినవి; కాబట్టి పండితుడు వాటిని దూరం పెట్టాలి. ఒక పల విలువ ఐదు వందలని పేర్కొన్నారు.

Word by Word

• काक: crows
• काक: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (समास-पूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• श्वरा: śvarā (uncertain animal term)
• श्वरा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वरा (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/अस्पष्ट)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (समास-पूर्वपद-रूपेण); पाठभेद-सूचित

• अस: (uncertain reading)
• अस: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस (प्रातिपदिक; सम्भवतः ‘अश्व’/अन्य पाठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (समास-पूर्वपद-रूपेण); पाठदोष-संभावना

• भसृगाल: jackals (reading uncertain)
• भसृगाल: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ + सृगाल (प्रातिपदिक; सम्भवतः ‘भसृगाल’/‘सृगाल’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (समास-पूर्वपद-रूपेण); पाठभेद-संभावना

• वृक: wolves
• वृक: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (समास-पूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• उग्ररूपैः: with fierce forms
• उग्ररूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र + रूप (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय—उग्रं रूपं येषाम्

• गृध्रैः: by vultures
• गृध्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• समांसरुधिरार्द्रमुखैः: with mouths wet with flesh and blood
• समांसरुधिरार्द्रमुखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + मांस + रुधिर + आर्द्र + मुख (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—मांस-रुधिरैः आर्द्रं मुखं येषाम् (with mouths wet with flesh and blood)

• उपेताः: accompanied by
• उपेताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + √इ (धातु) → उपेत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘endowed/attended by’

• मृत्युप्रदाः: giving death, deadly
• मृत्युप्रदाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्यु + प्रद (√दा + क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—मृत्युं प्रददति इति

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक)

• विदुषा: by a wise person
• विदुषा: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• परिवर्जनीयाः: should be avoided
• परिवर्जनीयाः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + √वृज्/√वर्ज् (धातु) → परिवर्जनीय (कृदन्त, अनीयर्)
• Form: कृदन्त (अनीयर्—कर्तव्य/विधेय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘to be avoided’

• मूल्यम्: price
• मूल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पलस्य: of a pala (weight unit)
• पलस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक; भारमान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• कथितम्: is stated
• कथितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is stated’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक)

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (शतानि इति विशेष्यस्य) विशेषणम्

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ashubha-nimitta and sadachara: avoid death-bringing, blood-smeared scavengers; heed wise counsel; includes a concrete price standard (pala = 500).

Vedantic Theme: Pragmatic dharma: safeguarding life and purity in vyavahara; recognizing tamasic/inauspicious influences without obsession.

Application: Avoid unsafe/contaminated environments and ominous signs; maintain hygiene and risk-awareness; apply standardized measures in transactions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: nimitta/ashubha-lakshana and avoidance rules; Garuda Purana: measurement/valuation passages (pala, price units)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• crows
• dogs
• jackals
• wolves
• vultures

FAQs

What is the importance of death-omens in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats certain flesh-and-blood-smeared scavenger-like appearances as inauspicious and “death-bringing,” advising the wise to avoid them as part of maintaining auspicious conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it frames the moment around death as dharmically sensitive, where signs and associations matter; it does not describe the soul’s journey itself but sets an omens-and-avoidance backdrop often connected to death-related sections.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat death-related fear and superstition with discernment: keep cleanliness and calm around vulnerable times, avoid harmful or panic-inducing influences, and focus on dharmic duties and appropriate rites rather than obsession with portents.