Shloka 27
रावणस्य तपः-शिवानुग्रहः — Rāvaṇa’s Austerity and Śiva’s Bestowal of Grace
सूत उवाच । रावणोपि गृहं गत्वा वरं प्राप्य महोत्तमम् । प्रियायै सर्वमाचख्यौ मुमोदाति महासुरः
sūta uvāca | rāvaṇopi gṛhaṃ gatvā varaṃ prāpya mahottamam | priyāyai sarvamācakhyau mumodāti mahāsuraḥ
Sūta sprach: Auch Rāvaṇa kehrte, nachdem er jenen höchst vortrefflichen Segen erlangt hatte, in seine Wohnstatt zurück, berichtete seiner Geliebten alles; und jener mächtige Asura frohlockte sehr.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha
Sthala Purana: After the boon connected with the Vaidyanātha episode, Rāvaṇa returns home and recounts the entire matter to his beloved—showing how the Jyotirliṅga narrative reverberates into Laṅkā’s courtly sphere.
Significance: Highlights the paradox: even an asura can receive boons through contact with Śiva, yet without right orientation it may intensify bondage—teaching pilgrims discernment (viveka) alongside devotion.
FAQs
The verse shows how extraordinary power gained through divine grace can still be filtered through ego (asuric pride). In Shaiva thought, grace bears fruit as liberation only when joined with humility and right orientation toward Shiva (Pati), not mere exhilaration over worldly gain.
Although the Linga/Saguna Shiva grants boons to devotees, the narrative cautions that the inner transformation expected from Shiva-worship is essential; otherwise, devotion becomes transactional and strengthens bondage rather than dissolving it.
Implied takeaway: pair any prayer for success with daily Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and self-examination, so that Shiva’s grace matures into devotion and detachment rather than pride.