Shloka 88

Purusha-Strī-Lakṣaṇa (Samudrika-śāstra): Marks of Kingship, Wealth, Longevity, and Conduct

Devanagari script

पुंसः स्यादतिविस्तीर्णं ललाटं वदनं ह्युरः / चक्षुः कक्षा नासिका च षट् स्युर् नृपकृकाटिकाः

Transliteration

puṃsaḥ syādativistīrṇaṃ lalāṭaṃ vadanaṃ hyuraḥ / cakṣuḥ kakṣā nāsikā ca ṣaṭ syur nṛpakṛkāṭikāḥ

Translation

مرد میں پیشانی کا بہت وسیع ہونا، نیز چہرہ اور سینہ، اور ساتھ ہی آنکھیں، بغلیں اور ناک—یہ چھ ‘شاہانہ نشانیاں’ (نِرپ چِہن) کہی گئی ہیں۔

Word by Word

• पुंसः: of a man
• पुंसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) एकवचनम् (gen. sg., masc.)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person sg.)

• अतिविस्तीर्णम्: very broad
• अतिविस्तीर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + विस्तीर्ण (कृदन्त; √स्तॄ विस्तारे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; भूतकृदन्त (very wide; nom./acc. sg., neut.)

• ललाटम्: forehead
• ललाटम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (forehead; nom./acc. sg., neut.)

• वदनम्: face
• वदनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (face; nom./acc. sg., neut.)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्ययम् (particle: indeed/for)

• उरः: chest
• उरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (chest; nom./acc. sg., neut.)

• चक्षुः: eye
• चक्षुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (eye; nom./acc. sg., neut.)

• कक्षा: armpit/side
• कक्षा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (armpit/side; nom. sg., fem.)

• नासिका: nose
• नासिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (nose; nom. sg., fem.)

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

• षट्: six
• षट्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे (six; used with plural verb)

• स्युः: should be
• स्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (3rd person pl.)

• नृपकृकाटिकाः: (the) kingly neck/occipital features (six)
• नृपकृकाटिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + कृकाटिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (nom. pl., fem.; ‘king’s neck-vertebrae/occipital parts’—contextual)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kingship is associated with certain marks interpreted as strength, presence, and capacity to bear responsibility.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha through dharmic governance; embodied traits as karmic indicators but subordinate to virtue.

Application: Treat the ‘royal signs’ as symbolic of leadership qualities: broad vision (forehead), courage (chest), alertness (eyes), capacity (shoulders/armpits), discernment (nose/breath).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: courtly/śāstric discourse (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: lakṣaṇa enumeration for nṛpa and other types in the same chapter context

FAQs

What is the importance of royal signs (nṛpa-lakṣaṇa) in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse treats bodily features as traditional auspicious indicators, classifying certain proportions (forehead, face, chest, eyes, armpits, nose) as marks associated with kingly stature and capability.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly address the after-death journey; instead, it belongs to a descriptive section on human marks (lakṣaṇas), used to infer temperament, fortune, and social aptitude in life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a cultural-historical lens on traditional Indian physiognomy—prioritizing ethical conduct and dharma over appearance-based judgments, while understanding how earlier texts categorized auspicious traits.