Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

योगाचार्यरूपेण शर्वावताराः (Śarva’s manifestations as Yoga-Teachers)

Devanagari script

कृष्ण उवाच । युगावर्तेषु सर्वेषु योगाचार्यच्छलेन तु । अवतारान्हि शर्वस्य शिष्यांश्च भगवन्वद

Transliteration

kṛṣṇa uvāca | yugāvarteṣu sarveṣu yogācāryacchalena tu | avatārānhi śarvasya śiṣyāṃśca bhagavanvada

Translation

Kṛṣṇa dit : «Ô Seigneur Bienheureux, à chaque tournant des âges, sous l’apparence d’un maître de yoga, daigne décrire les incarnations de Śarva (Śiva) ainsi que Ses disciples.»

Word by Word

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• युग-आवर्तेषु: in the cycles of the yugas
• युग-आवर्तेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक) + आवर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘युगस्य आवर्तः’ (cycle/turn of an age)

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• योग-आचार्य-छलेन: by the guise of a yoga-teacher
• योग-आचार्य-छलेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + छल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘योगाचार्यस्य छलम्’ (pretext/guise of a yoga-teacher)

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

• अवतारान्: incarnations
• अवतारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

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

• शर्वस्य: of Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• शिष्यान्: disciples
• शिष्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Krishna

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: yugāvarteṣu (cyclical turning of yugas)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse frames Śiva as the supreme Guru who repeatedly guides beings in every yuga, adapting His instruction through the form of a yogācārya, emphasizing liberation through right knowledge and disciplined practice under divine guidance.

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

By requesting Śiva’s avatāras “in the guise of a yoga teacher,” the verse highlights Saguna Śiva—accessible through forms, teachings, and lineages—while still pointing to the same Pati (Lord) who is ultimately beyond form and can be approached through Linga worship and Guru-upadeśa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests the yogic path under a true Guru: disciplined meditation and inner worship of Śiva; in Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this supports steady sādhana alongside traditional aids like mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and guru-guided contemplation.