Shloka 172
Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya
अस्य धारणमात्रे तु विषं न क्रमते तनौ । हरश्च परमप्रीतो भवेन्नागेश्वरे यथा
asya dhāraṇamātre tu viṣaṃ na kramate tanau | haraśca paramaprīto bhavennāgeśvare yathā
เพียงสวมใส่หรือถือสิ่งนี้ไว้ พิษย่อมไม่ลามไปทั่วกาย; และพระหระ (พระศิวะ) ย่อมทรงปีติยิ่ง ดุจเมื่อประทับ ณ นาเคศวร
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed to confirm the dialogue pair).
Concept: Sacred bearing (dhāraṇa) functions as kavaca—subtle protection that restrains harm and pleases the deity.
Application: Adopt protective devotional disciplines (wearing sanctified items, keeping vows, daily remembrance) as supports for steadiness and restraint from harmful habits.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee gently ties a sanctified thread/amulet at the wrist while a faint dark serpent-poison aura dissolves into light. In the background, Śiva as Nāgeśvara stands serene beside a liṅga crowned with coiled nāgas, blessing the act of dhāraṇa.","primary_figures":["Śiva (Hara)","Nāga attendants","a devotee (vratin)"],"setting":"Temple courtyard near a serpent-adorned liṅga shrine, with stone lamps and bilva leaves offered in brass plates.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky indigo","ash white","bilva green","brass gold","deep vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Śiva as Nāgeśvara beside a serpent-crowned liṅga, devotee tying a protective amulet, ornate prabhāmaṇḍala with gold leaf, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, bilva garlands, temple lamps rendered in embossed gold.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet Nāgeśvara shrine in a forest-edge temple, delicate nāga coils around the liṅga, devotee fastening a thread, cool indigo shadows, refined faces, lyrical foliage and distant hills, subtle glow around Śiva’s blessing hand.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined Śiva with calm wide eyes, serpent motifs framing the liṅga, devotee in profile holding the dhāraṇa object, flat temple-wall composition, natural pigment reds/yellows/greens, rhythmic ornamentation and lamp flames.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional tableau with ornate floral borders, stylized temple lamps and lotus motifs, central shrine with serpent-crowned liṅga, attendants offering bilva, deep blue background with gold highlights, intricate textile patterns and symmetrical composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","low damaru pulse","soft conch shell","incense crackle","hushed silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dhāraṇa+mātre→dhāraṇamātre; haraḥ+ca→haraś ca; bhavet+nāgeśvare→bhavennāgeśvare; nāga+īśvare→nāgeśvare.
FAQs
The verse praises dhāraṇa—merely wearing or holding a sacred object (implied by context)—as spiritually potent and protective.
It says that poison does not ‘advance’ or spread through the body of the person who bears it.
Nāgeśvara is invoked as a benchmark of Śiva’s pleasure: Śiva becomes supremely pleased in the same manner as he is at Nāgeśvara (a revered form/site associated with Śiva).