Shloka 25

एकोनविंशतिशिवावतारवर्णनम्

Description of the Nineteen Manifestations/Avatāras of Śiva

Devanagari script

परिवर्त्ते विंशतिमे भविता व्यास गौतमः । तत्राट्टहासनामाहमट्टहासप्रिया नराः

Transliteration

parivartte viṃśatime bhavitā vyāsa gautamaḥ | tatrāṭṭahāsanāmāhamaṭṭahāsapriyā narāḥ

Translation

In the twentieth cycle of change, the Vyāsa will be Gautama. There I shall be known by the name ‘Aṭṭahāsa’, and the people there will be devoted to and delighted by Aṭṭahāsa.

Word by Word

• परिवर्ते: in the cycle/period
• परिवर्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन) — ‘in the cycle/turn (of time)’

• विंशतिमे: in the twentieth
• विंशतिमे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular — ordinal sense ‘in the twentieth’ (विंशतितम)

• भविता: will be
• भविता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic future (लुट्/परस्मैपद-भाव), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular — ‘will be/become’

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — proper name

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — proper name/lineage

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘there/in that (context)’

• अट्टहास-नाम: (the) name ‘Aṭṭahāsa’
• अट्टहास-नाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अट्टहास + नाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘(having) the name of Aṭṭahāsa’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — ‘I’

• अट्टहास-प्रियाः: fond of Aṭṭahāsa
• अट्टहास-प्रियाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अट्टहास + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural — तत्पुरुष: ‘fond of Aṭṭahāsa’

• नराः: people/men
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural — ‘men/people’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa
• Gautama

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, the timeless Pati (Lord), compassionately becomes accessible in specific names and forms across cosmic cycles, so beings (paśu) can turn from bondage (pāśa) to devotion and liberation through right orientation to Him.

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

By declaring a specific divine name and form (Aṭṭahāsa), the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā—worship of Shiva with attributes—commonly centered on the Shiva Linga as the stable, sanctifying focus through which devotees approach the transcendent Nirguna reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-japa and dhyāna on Shiva in the invoked form—repeating Shiva’s names (including the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with bhakti, supported by Shaiva marks like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where customary.