Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

एते शिष्या महेशस्य योगाचार्यस्वरूपिणः । संख्या च शतमेतेषां सह द्वादशसंख्यया

Transliteration

ete śiṣyā maheśasya yogācāryasvarūpiṇaḥ | saṃkhyā ca śatameteṣāṃ saha dvādaśasaṃkhyayā

Translation

ഇവർ മഹേശ്വരൻ (ശിവൻ)ന്റെ ശിഷ്യന്മാർ, യോഗാചാര്യസ്വരൂപന്മാർ. ഇവരുടെ എണ്ണം നൂറ്; പന്ത്രണ്ട് കൂടി ചേർത്താൽ ആകെ നൂറ്റി പന്ത്രണ്ട് ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• śiṣyāḥ: disciples
• śiṣyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• maheśasya: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśasya: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yogācārya-svarūpiṇaḥ: having the form/nature of yoga-teachers
• yogācārya-svarūpiṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of śiṣyāḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + ācārya (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: yogācārya-svarūpin = ‘having the nature/form of a yoga-teacher’

• saṃkhyā: the number
• saṃkhyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय)

• śatam: one hundred
• śatam: Pradhāna/Predicate nominal (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); numeral used as predicate

• eteṣām: of these (persons)
• eteṣām: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka/Association (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Prepositional indeclinable (सह-योगे अव्यय), governs Instrumental (तृतीया)

• dvādaśa-saṃkhyayā: with (the) number twelve
• dvādaśa-saṃkhyayā: Sahakāraka/Association (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: dvādaśa-saṃkhyā = ‘the number twelve’; instrumental with saha

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahesha)

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva as Pati (the supreme Lord) whose grace flows through a structured guru-lineage: his disciples are themselves “yogācārya-svarūpa,” indicating that true yoga is transmitted as Śiva’s own teaching-power leading souls (paśu) toward liberation.

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

By naming Mahēśa as the source of yogic instruction, the text supports Saguna Śiva worship—approaching Śiva in a knowable, worshipful form (such as the Liṅga) and receiving guidance through teachers devoted to him, which matures into inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is guru-guided yoga and Śiva-upāsanā: steady meditation aligned with Śiva’s instruction, commonly supported in the Shiva Purana tradition by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined yogic practice under a competent ācārya.