Shloka 36

रावणस्य तपः-शिवानुग्रहः — Rāvaṇa’s Austerity and Śiva’s Bestowal of Grace

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । राक्षसोत्तम धन्यस्त्वं शैववर्य्यस्तपोमनाः । त्वां दृष्ट्वा च मनो मेद्य प्रसन्नमति रावण

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | rākṣasottama dhanyastvaṃ śaivavaryyastapomanāḥ | tvāṃ dṛṣṭvā ca mano medya prasannamati rāvaṇa

Translation

Nārada said: “O best among the rākṣasas, blessed are you—foremost among Śiva’s devotees, with a mind intent on tapas (austerity). Seeing you today, my heart has become pleased and serene, O Rāvaṇa.”

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• राक्षस-उत्तम: O best of rākṣasas
• राक्षस-उत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘उत्तमः राक्षसः’

• धन्यः: fortunate, blessed
• धन्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘त्वम्’)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शैव-वर्यः: an excellent Śaiva
• शैव-वर्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘वर्यः शैवः’ (excellent devotee of Śiva)

• तपः-मनाः: whose mind is set on austerity
• तपः-मनाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘तपसि मनः यस्य सः’ (one whose mind is on austerity)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• इद्य: bright/clear (as given)
• इद्य: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘मनः’); (पाठभेद-संभावना: ‘अद्य’ इति अव्यय)

• प्रसन्न-मति: with pleased disposition
• प्रसन्न-मति: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘प्रसन्ना मतिः’ (agreeing with implied ‘मति’/state of mind)

• रावण: O Rāvaṇa
• रावण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Ravana
• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse highlights that sincere Shiva-bhakti joined with tapas (disciplined austerity) purifies the inner instrument, producing prasanna-mati—clarity and serenity of mind—an essential condition for grace and liberation in Shaiva teaching.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By calling Ravana “foremost among Shaivas,” Narada affirms the Shaiva path of approaching Saguna Shiva through devoted worship—classically expressed in Linga-upasana—where disciplined practice matures into inner calm and receptivity to Shiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is steady tapas supported by Shiva-bhakti—such as daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined worship—aimed at cultivating a calm, purified mind (prasanna-mati).