Shloka 52

एकोनविंशतिशिवावतारवर्णनम्

Description of the Nineteen Manifestations/Avatāras of Śiva

Devanagari script

व्यासाश्चैवाष्टविंशत्का द्वापरेद्वापरे विभो । योगेश्वरावतारश्च प्रारंभे च कलौ कलौ

Transliteration

vyāsāścaivāṣṭaviṃśatkā dvāparedvāpare vibho | yogeśvarāvatāraśca prāraṃbhe ca kalau kalau

Translation

O mighty Lord, in each Dvāpara age there are indeed twenty-eight Vyāsas; and at the beginning of each Kali age, the Lord of Yoga (Śiva) also manifests by incarnation.

Word by Word

• व्यासाः: Vyāsas (arrangers/sages)
• व्यासाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक निपात, अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, अव्यय

• अष्टविंशत्काः: twenty-eight (in number)
• अष्टविंशत्काः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टाविंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (meaning ‘twenty-eight in number’)

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• द्वापरे: in each Dvāpara
• द्वापरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• योगेश्वरावतारः: the incarnation of Yogeśvara
• योगेश्वरावतारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगेश्वर + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक निपात, अव्यय

• प्रारम्भे: at the beginning
• प्रारम्भे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रारम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक निपात, अव्यय

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• कलौ: in each Kali
• कलौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Yuga-cycle framing: repeated Dvāpara (Vyāsa activity) and repeated Kali beginnings (Yogeśvara avatāra)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa
• Yogeshvara

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva, as Yogeśvara, safeguards dharma across yuga-cycles: Vedic wisdom is periodically re-arranged by Vyāsas, and in Kali’s dawn Śiva’s yogic guidance appears again so souls bound by pāśa may regain the path to liberation.

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

By naming Śiva as Yogeśvara who ‘manifests’ in time, the verse supports Saguna devotion—approaching the timeless Nirguṇa reality through accessible forms, worship, and grace, classically centered in the Shiva Purana on Liṅga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to adopt Yogeśvara-oriented sādhana in Kali Yuga: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with meditation on Śiva as inner guru, supported by Shaiva disciplines like bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa where appropriate.