Shloka 14

Kāraṇānvēṣaṇam: The 32 Marks of Hari, Defects (Doṣas), Death-Omens, and Hari’s Omnipresence in Social & Household Life

Devanagari script

निम्नौ च गुल्फौ सप्तदशं तदाहुर्ग्री वारूपं प्राहुरष्टादशं च / एकोनविंशं त्वक्षिपद्मं सुरक्तं प्राहुर्बाहुं जानु विंशं तथैव

Transliteration

nimnau ca gulphau saptadaśaṃ tadāhurgrī vārūpaṃ prāhuraṣṭādaśaṃ ca / ekonaviṃśaṃ tvakṣipadmaṃ suraktaṃ prāhurbāhuṃ jānu viṃśaṃ tathaiva

Translation

నిమ్నంగా, సుస్థిరంగా ఉన్న గుల్ఫాలు (మడమలు/కాళ్ల ముడులు) పదిహేడవ లక్షణమని అంటారు; గ్రీవ మరియు రూపసౌందర్యాన్ని పద్దెనిమిదవ లక్షణమని చెబుతారు. పద్మసదృశంగా సురక్తంగా మెరుస్తున్న కన్నును పందొమ్మిదవగా, అలాగే భుజం మరియు మోకాలను ఇరవయ్యవ లక్షణంగా పేర్కొంటారు।

Word by Word

• nimnau: low/sunken
• nimnau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nimna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); adjective qualifying gulphau

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• gulphau: the two ankles
• gulphau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gulpha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• saptadaśam: the seventeenth
• saptadaśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saptadaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); numeral used as ordinal/label

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• āhuḥ: they said/call
• āhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• grī: neck/throat
• grī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); as a body-part term (neck/throat)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

• rūpam: form/appearance
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāhuḥ: they declared/called
• prāhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• aṣṭādaśam: the eighteenth
• aṣṭādaśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); numeral used as ordinal/label

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• ekona-viṃśam: the nineteenth
• ekona-viṃśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekona + viṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); numeral ‘one-less-than-twenty’ (=19th)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic

• akṣi-padmaṃ: lotus-like eye
• akṣi-padmaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘lotus of the eye’

• suraktam: very red
• suraktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying akṣi-padmaṃ

• prāhuḥ: they declared/called
• prāhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bāhum: arm
• bāhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• jānu: knee
• jānu: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṃśam: the twentieth
• viṃśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); numeral used as ordinal/label

• tathā: thus/so
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारणार्थक निपात)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Preta Kanda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lotus-like eyes (padmākṣa) evoke the divine archetype; contemplation of auspicious features becomes a gateway to devotional remembrance of the Lord’s form.

Vedantic Theme: Saguṇa-upāsanā supporting inner purification; form-meditation as a step toward śānti and clarity.

Application: Use iconographic contemplation (dhyāna) to steady the mind; cultivate compassionate ‘lotus-eyed’ gaze—non-harming attention in daily life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.22 (marks 17–20; padmākṣa motif)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of this anatomical enumeration in the Garuda Purana?

This verse continues a numbered listing of bodily markers/parts used in the Preta Kanda’s technical description of the post-death condition, helping frame how the preta is described in a structured, count-based way.

How does this verse relate to the path of the soul after death?

In the Garuda Purana’s narrative, understanding the preta’s described form supports the broader teaching on what the departed experiences and why rites (like śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna) are prescribed to aid the journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to approach death-rites and remembrance practices with seriousness and clarity—performing prescribed rites responsibly and cultivating ethical living (dharma) to avoid fearful post-death states.