Shloka 3

रामेश्वरलिङ्गप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation/Origin of the Rāmeśvara Liṅga

Devanagari script

तत्र सीता हृता विप्रा रावणेनोरुमायिना । प्रापिता स्वगृहं सा हि लंकायां जनकात्मजा

Transliteration

tatra sītā hṛtā viprā rāvaṇenorumāyinā | prāpitā svagṛhaṃ sā hi laṃkāyāṃ janakātmajā

Translation

There, O brahmins, Sītā—the daughter of Janaka—was abducted by Rāvaṇa, the wielder of vast illusion, and she was indeed taken to his own residence in Laṅkā.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सीता: Sītā
• सीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• हृता: was abducted/taken away
• हृता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense)

• विप्रा: (the) noble lady / revered one
• विप्रा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सीतायाः विशेषणरूपेण (as an epithet)

• रावणेन: by Rāvaṇa
• रावणेन: Karta (कर्ता) / Agent in passive (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• उरुमायिना: by the greatly-magic(-wielding) one
• उरुमायिना: Karta (कर्ता) / Agent-qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उरु (प्रातिपदिक) + मायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (उरु- + मायिन् = ‘great/abundant in magic’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying रावणेन)

• प्रापिता: was brought
• प्रापिता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle of causative), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (‘was caused to reach’)

• स्वगृहम्: to (his) own house
• स्वगृहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य गृहं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• लङ्कायाम्: in Laṅkā
• लङ्कायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• जनकात्मजा: Janaka’s daughter
• जनकात्मजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जनकस्य आत्मजा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सीतायाः पर्यायः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Rāmeśvara

Sthala Purana: The abduction of Sītā by Rāvaṇa (described as uru-māyin) supplies the karmic-epic crisis that leads to Rāma’s southward journey and the eventual Śiva-worship at Setu/Rāmeśvara; ‘māyā’ language aligns the plot with bondage (pāśa) themes.

Significance: Positions Rāmeśvara within a narrative of suffering, dharma, and eventual restoration; pilgrimage is framed as moving from māyā-bound turmoil toward Śiva’s grace and purification.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Sītā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Ravana
• Lanka
• Janaka

FAQs

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

The verse highlights māyā (deluding power) as a force that can seize even the virtuous; Shaiva Siddhanta stresses that liberation comes by turning from māyā toward Pati (Śiva), the Lord who grants right knowledge and steadfast dharma.

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

By portraying the danger of uru-māyā, it implicitly points to the refuge of Saguna Śiva—worshipped as the Liṅga—whose grace stabilizes the mind and protects devotion amid worldly and demonic forces.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter māyā through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, cultivating discrimination and surrender to Śiva.