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
这一切以及其他诸相，皆由奉持六面者（Ṣaṇmukha/Skanda）而生。那大将军摩诃军（Mahāsena）具七面；他即无尽（Ananta），为龙蛇那伽之王。
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.