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

عورت کے پاؤں تب مبارک سمجھے جاتے ہیں جب ان میں پسینہ نہ ہو اور تلوے نرم ہوں؛ اس کی پنڈلیاں خوبصورت اور بےبال ہوں، اور رانیں ہاتھی کی سونڈ کے مانند ہوں۔

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.