Shloka 55
Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)
तमतीत्याथ गोकर्णमभ्यगच्छद् दशानन: । दयितं स्थानमव्यग्रं शूलपाणेमहात्मन:,उसे ऊपर-ही-ऊपर लाँधकर दशमुख रावण गोकर्णतीर्थमें गया, जो परमात्मा शूलपाणि शिवका प्रिय एवं अविचल स्थान है
tam atītyātha gokarṇam abhyagacchad daśānanaḥ | dayitaṁ sthānam avyagraṁ śūlapāṇer mahātmanaḥ ||
Having passed beyond that region, the ten-headed Daśānana (Rāvaṇa) approached Gokarṇa—an undisturbed sacred abode beloved of the great-souled Śūlapāṇi (Śiva). The telling sets in relief the contrast between the steadfastness of holy ground and the turbulence borne by adharma, for even a mighty disturber must move through landscapes hallowed by the divine.
(श्रीरम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the sanctity and steadiness of a divine tīrtha—described as Śiva’s beloved, undisturbed abode—set against the movement of a disruptive figure like Rāvaṇa. Ethically, it suggests that sacred places embody stability and purity even when approached by those driven by adharma.
Rāvaṇa, identified as Daśānana, passes beyond the previous area and proceeds to Gokarṇa, which is characterized as a tranquil and cherished abode of Śiva (Śūlapāṇi).