Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 49

शिवज्ञान-प्रश्नः तथा सृष्टौ शिवस्य स्वयमाविर्भावः

Inquiry into Śiva-knowledge and Śiva’s self-manifestation in creation

Devanagari script

लैंगे व्यासावतारा हि द्वापरां तेषु सुव्रताः । योगाचार्यावताराश्च तथा शिष्येषु शूलिनः

Transliteration

laiṃge vyāsāvatārā hi dvāparāṃ teṣu suvratāḥ | yogācāryāvatārāśca tathā śiṣyeṣu śūlinaḥ

Translation

ഹേ സുവ്രതന്മാരേ, ദ്വാപരയുഗത്തിൽ ലിംഗഭക്തന്മാരിൽ നിശ്ചയമായും വ്യാസാവതാരങ്ങൾ ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നു; അതുപോലെ ശിഷ്യന്മാരിൽ ശൂലധാരിയായ ശിവൻ യോഗാചാര്യാവതാരമായും പ്രത്യക്ഷമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• लैङ्गे: in the Liṅga (Purāṇa/teaching)
• लैङ्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लैङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (implied: पुराणे/शास्त्रे)

• व्यासावताराः: incarnations of Vyāsa
• व्यासावताराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यासस्य अवताराः)

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

• द्वापराम्: the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापराम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (युग-नाम)

• तेषु: among them
• तेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुव्रताः: of good vows, virtuous
• सुव्रताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + व्रत)

• योगाचार्यावताराः: incarnations of yoga-teachers
• योगाचार्यावताराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगाचार्य + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगाचार्यस्य अवताराः)

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अन्वय (connector)

• शिष्येषु: among disciples
• शिष्येषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• शूलिनः: the trident-bearers (Śiva’s ones)
• शूलिनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; 'शूलधारी' (epithet)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya in the Vayu Samhita context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: yuga-reference: Dvāpara; doctrinally situates teaching-avatars within cyclical time

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Pati (Śiva) safeguards dharma and liberating knowledge by manifesting within tradition—as Vyāsa-like arrangers of scripture and as Yoga-ācāryas—so bound souls (paśu) can be led beyond bondage (pāśa) toward moksha.

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

By saying “laiṅge…”, it anchors spiritual authority in the Liṅga-centered Shaiva stream, where Saguna worship of Śiva as the Liṅga supports purification and steadiness, and where Śiva further appears as the guiding Guru to mature the devotee’s practice into liberating insight.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is Guru-guided Yoga allied with Liṅga-upāsanā—steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), meditation on Śiva as inner teacher, and disciplined vows (vrata) that support concentration and devotion.