Shloka 17

Devanagari script

रामो दशरथाज्जज्ञे धर्मात्मा यो महायशाः । स विष्ण्वंशो महाशैवः पौलस्त्यो येन घातितः

Transliteration

rāmo daśarathājjajñe dharmātmā yo mahāyaśāḥ | sa viṣṇvaṃśo mahāśaivaḥ paulastyo yena ghātitaḥ

Translation

Rama—righteous-souled and greatly renowned—was born of Dasharatha. Though of Vishnu’s lineage, he was a great devotee of Shiva; by him the Paulastya, Ravana of Pulastya’s line, was slain.

Word by Word

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दशरथात्: from Daśaratha
• दशरथात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक यत्-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• महायशाः: greatly renowned
• महायशाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महद् यशः यस्य)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विष्णु-अंशः: a portion of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-अंशः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः अंशः)

• महा-शैवः: a great devotee of Śiva
• महा-शैवः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् शैवः)

• पौलस्त्यः: the Paulastya (descendant of Pulastya)
• पौलस्त्यः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुलस्त्य-गोत्रसम्बन्धी (e.g., Rāvaṇa)

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• घातितः: was slain
• घातितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → घातयति; घातित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (‘was caused to be slain/was slain’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Rāmeśvara

Sthala Purana: After slaying Rāvaṇa, Rāma seeks expiation for brahmahatyā-doṣa and worships Śiva by establishing a liṅga at Setubandha; Śiva grants purification and success for the return journey.

Significance: Śiva-bhakti joined with prāyaścitta; bathing and liṅga-darśana are held to remove pāpa and strengthen dharma.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Dasharatha
• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Ravana

FAQs

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

It presents Rama as dharmic and victorious not merely by power or birth, but through alignment with righteousness and devotion to Shiva—showing that true glory culminates in surrender to Pati (Shiva) and the destruction of adharma.

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

By calling Rama “mahāśaiva,” the verse highlights Saguna Shiva-bhakti: the Lord is worshipped as the personal, grace-giving Shiva whose devotion empowers the devotee to overcome great evil—an ethos central to Linga worship in the Shiva Purana.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadfast Shiva-bhakti alongside dharma—practically expressed through daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) and regular Shiva-puja (with reverence, purity, and self-restraint).