Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

विच्छित्तिदौ च वंशस्य ब्रह्मन्घौ शङ्कु (पक्र) सन्निभौ / अगम्यागमने प्रीतौ जङ्घा विरलरोमिका

Transliteration

vicchittidau ca vaṃśasya brahmanghau śaṅku (pakra) sannibhau / agamyāgamane prītau jaṅghā viralaromikā

Translation

他的双股致使家系断绝；其膝，噢婆罗门，如木楔、如曲桩一般。喜于往不当往之处、又复如是而返，故其胫骨之处毛发稀疏。

Word by Word

• विच्छित्तिदौ: causing severance
• विच्छित्तिदौ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विच्छित्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative dual; 'giving/causing cutting off')

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

• वंशस्य: of the lineage
• वंशस्य: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive singular)

• ब्रह्मन्घौ: brahmin-slaying (sinful)
• ब्रह्मन्घौ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative dual; 'slayer of a Brahmin')

• शङ्कु-सन्निभौ: resembling a peg/spike
• शङ्कु-सन्निभौ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative dual; 'resembling a peg/spike')

• पक्र: crooked/ripe (variant reading)
• पक्र: Visheshana (variant)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पाठान्तर/कोष्ठकस्थ-विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative singular; bracketed variant reading)

• अगम्य-आगमने: in not going and going (i.e., movement/rest)
• अगम्य-आगमने: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), द्विवचन-एकवद्भावः; द्वन्द्व-समासः (Neuter, Locative dual used as a pair: 'in non-going and going')

• प्रीतौ: pleased
• प्रीतौ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative dual; 'pleased')

• जङ्घा: the shank/leg
• जङ्घा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative singular)

• विरल-रोमिका: having sparse hair
• विरल-रोमिका: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरल (प्रातिपदिक) + रोमिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (Feminine, Nominative singular; karmadhāraya)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa, per the common Viṣṇu–Garuḍa dialogue frame of the Garuḍa Purāṇa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transgressing what is ‘agamya’ (forbidden/unsuitable) destabilizes family continuity and social order; bodily ‘lakṣaṇas’ are read as indicators of such tendencies.

Vedantic Theme: Rāga-dveṣa-driven action binds; adharma arises from uncontrolled impulses, reinforcing saṃsāric patterns.

Application: Maintain clear ethical boundaries in relationships and conduct; seek counsel, cultivate self-restraint, and avoid repeated cycles of harmful ‘going and returning’ to vice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: threshold/forbidden-place

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana moral catalogues of adharma leading to suffering (general parallel); Garuda Purana discussions of kula-kṣaya and social decay through misconduct (thematic)

FAQs

What is the importance of lineage-severing (vaṃśa-viccheda) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links certain bodily traits with karmic tendencies that harm the continuity and welfare of one’s family line, emphasizing responsibility toward dharma and descendants.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in karmic terms?

It presents a karmic mapping where repeated attraction to forbidden acts (agamyāgamana) leaves identifiable imprints, implying that habits shape destiny and post-death outcomes described elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid actions that destabilize family and social order, and treat “forbidden” conduct as a warning sign for self-correction through ethical discipline, restraint, and dharmic living.