Shloka 169
Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya
एतान्यन्यानि सर्वाणि षड्वक्त्रस्यैव धारणात् । सप्तवक्त्रो महासेनस्त्वनंतो नाम नागराट्
etānyanyāni sarvāṇi ṣaḍvaktrasyaiva dhāraṇāt | saptavaktro mahāsenastvanaṃto nāma nāgarāṭ
چھ چہروں والے (شَنمُکھ/سکند) کو دھारण کرنے سے یہ سب اور دیگر تمام صورتیں پیدا ہوتی ہیں۔ اور مہاسین، وہ عظیم سپہ سالار، سات چہروں والا ہے؛ وہ اَنَنت نام کا ناگ راج ہے۔
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma frame)
Concept: Cosmic functions manifest through divine bearers and forms; multiplicity of faces signifies manifold powers and guardianship.
Application: Contemplate interdependence and support-systems in life; honor protectors/guardians and cultivate responsible strength rather than domination.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In the jeweled depths of Nāga-loka, a colossal seven-faced serpent-king rises like a living mountain, each hood crowned and flaring. Above, a martial divine presence is suggested—Skanda’s six-faced radiance—implying that bearing or invoking the six-faced commander yields manifold forms and powers, while Ananta stands as the cosmic foundation.","primary_figures":["Saptavaktra Nāgarāja (Ananta/Śeṣa aspect)","Skanda (Ṣaṇmukha/Mahāsena)","attendant nāgas"],"setting":"subterranean jeweled caverns with crystal pillars, luminous gems, and coiled serpent thrones; distant hint of cosmic ocean","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","emerald green","pearl white","ruby red","molten gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: monumental seven-hooded Nāgarāja with gold leaf on crowns and hood-rims; gem-studded ornaments; Skanda’s six-faced aura above as a radiant medallion; rich reds/greens, symmetrical composition, ornate borders with lotus and conch motifs; high-relief gold detailing for jewels and scales.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical subterranean scene with cool blues and greens; delicate rendering of seven hoods with fine patterning; Skanda’s presence as a soft, multi-faced glow in the upper corner; refined faces, gentle narrative balance, crystalline cave textures and flowing lines.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized seven hoods fanning like a temple arch; strong red/yellow/green palette; Skanda depicted with characteristic eyes and six faces in a compact icon; decorative floral borders and rhythmic serpent coils.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate nāga tableau framed by lotus vines and peacock-feather motifs; deep blue ground with gold highlights; seven hoods arranged like a floral mandala; Skanda’s six-faced emblem integrated into the border medallions; intricate textile-like repetition and devotional symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["deep drum (mridangam)","low conch resonance","echoing cavern ambience","metallic chime like gemstones"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: etāni+anyāni→etānyanyāni; ṣaḍ+vaktrasya→ṣaḍvaktrasya; mahāsenaḥ+tu→mahāsenas tu; tu+anantaḥ→tv anantaḥ; nāga+rāṭ (rājan)→nāgarāṭ.
FAQs
In Purāṇic usage, ṣaḍvaktra commonly denotes Skanda/Kārttikeya (also called Ṣaṇmukha), famed for his six faces.
The verse presents a variant Purāṇic description associating Mahāsena with a seven-faced form; such iconographic or genealogical variations are common across Purāṇic passages.
Ananta is explicitly named as the nāga-rāṭ—“king of the nāgas/serpents”—a well-known cosmic serpent figure in Hindu tradition.