Samudrika Shastra (Sanskrit:सामुद्रिक शास्त्र), part of theIndian astrology, is the study of face reading, aura reading, and whole body analysis. TheSanskrit term "Samudrika Shastra" translates roughly as "knowledge of body features." It is related toastrology andpalmistry (Hast-samudrika), as well asphrenology (kapal-samudrik) and face reading (physiognomy,mukh-samudrik).[1][2] It is also one of the themes incorporated into the ancient Hindu text, theGaruda Purana.[3]
The tradition assumes that every natural or acquired bodily mark encodes its owner's psychology and destiny. Elevation, depression, elongation, diminution, and other marks become relevant. There are five main types of human elements in terms of theSamudrika: Agni, Vayu, Jal, Akash andPrithvi. Traditional stories inIndia thus abound with descriptions of rare auspicious markings found on the bodies of memorable people. Legends about theRama and KrishnaAvatars,Gautama the Buddha, andMahavira theTirthankara conform to this tradition.
Hindus,Buddhists, andJains share the tradition of Samudrika Shastra; the tradition also has parallels in other unrelated cultures, withphrenology andface reading both evoking its principles.William Herbert Sheldon's typology of body forms – ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph (called 'somatotypes') – also mimics the practice of Samudrika Shastra.
The system of human marks finds a mention in variousjyotisha-shastra anddharma-shastra texts, but it emerged as an independentshastra (field of study) with the composition of various texts collectively called thesamudrika-shastras (IAST: Sāmudrika-śāstras). Many of these texts are undated: theSanskrit-languageSamudrika-tilaka, one of the earliest important works, was composed in the 12th century CE.[4]
Around 600[5]samudrika-shastra manuscripts , often anonymous or attributed to legendary authors, are available. The titles of most of these manuscripts areSamudrika-lakshana,Samudrika,Samudraka-shastra, orSamudrika-lakshana. Less common titles includeSamudrika-nirupana,Samudrika-samkshepa, andSamudrika-vichara. Most of these manuscripts are anonymous, but others are attributed Samudra, Narayana, Haridasa,Narada (e.g.Samudrika-nirupana),Vararuchi (e.g.Samudrika-lakshana),Garga, or Vishnudatta.[6] OneTamil language manuscript titledSamudrika-lakshana (Sāmudrika-lakṣaṇa) at the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library inChennai presents itself as a revelation from the godSubrahmanya to the sageAgastya.[7] A comprehensive study of these manuscripts has not been done, but many of them appear to be extractions, redactions, or consolidations of pre-existing material.[6] Many of the extracts come from thePuranas (Bhavishya,Vishnu-dharmottara,Skanda) and theBrhat-samihta. Several manuscripts included verses from theGargiya-jyotisha,Rati-rahasya, and other Puranas (Vishnu andMatsya).[8]
Other works on the topic includeSamudrika-sara by Shankara or Narayana-suri andSamudrikadesha by Damodara.[9]Samudrika-maha-shastra, an anonymous manuscript from Nepal, dated 17 September 1800, contains 32 chapters in form of a dialogue between the deitiesGanga andSamudra. InJain literature, two notablesamudrika-shastra texts areSamudrika-lakshana of Jaipur, andSamudrika by Pandita Padam-sinha of Ajmer.[10]
Among localised works originating from western India, the three most important texts are theSamudrika-tilaka, theSamudrika-chintamani, andSamudrika.[10] Durlabha-raja began writing theSamudrika-tilaka (asNara-lakshana-shastra) in c. 1160 CE, and his son Jagad-deva completed it in c. 1175 CE;Sri Venkateswar Steam Press published the work under the generic titleSamudrika-shastra in 1954.[11]Samudrika-chintamani (Sāmudrikacintāmaṇi) of Madhava Shri-grama-kara, written in c. 1700 CE, closely follows theSamudrika-tilaka.[12]Samudrika, also known by the generic titlesSamudrika-shastra orSamudrika-lakshana, is an anonymous work with two versions. The first version is found throughout India, and one manuscript names Mula-deva as its main author, plus Vama-deva as the author of twenty verses. The second version is found in northern India and Nepal, and one manuscript suggests that it is derived from the collection of one Jagan-mohana, composed by Shri-lakshmanacharya Bhatta.[13]
Samudrika-tantra (1847-1848 CE), attributed to the godShiva, is a localised text fromMithila.[14]
Over 50 manuscripts of varioussamudrika-shastra texts contain a commentary or translation, mostly in non-Sanskrit regional languages such as includingPrakrit,Hindi,Brajbhasha,Newari,Rajasthani,Gujarati,Marathi,Maru-Gurjura,Odia,Tamil, andMalayalam. The oldest manuscript with a commentary is titledSamudrika-lakshana (1507 CE): it comes from a Jain collection of Rajasthan, and features a Hindi commentary.[15]
Samudrika shastra.
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