Shloka 12

एकोनविंशतिशिवावतारवर्णनम्

Description of the Nineteen Manifestations/Avatāras of Śiva

Devanagari script

व्यासः पञ्चदशे त्रय्यारुणिर्वै द्वापरे यदा । तदाहं भविता वेदशिरा वेदशिरस्तथा

Transliteration

vyāsaḥ pañcadaśe trayyāruṇirvai dvāpare yadā | tadāhaṃ bhavitā vedaśirā vedaśirastathā

Translation

دواپر یُگ میں جب پندرہواں ویاس یقیناً تریّارُنی ہوگا، تب میں رشی ویدشِرا بنوں گا—جو ویدشِر کے نام سے بھی معروف ہوگا۔

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन

• पञ्चदशे: in the fifteenth
• पञ्चदशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च + दश) संख्यावाचक; (in the fifteenth [age/period])

• त्रय्य-आरणिः: Trayyāraṇi (name/title)
• त्रय्य-आरणिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयी (प्रातिपदिक) + आरणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (trayyāḥ āraṇiḥ)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक (indeed)

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचन; युगनाम

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-सम्बन्ध (when)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदा-तर्हि सम्बन्ध (then)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भविता: will become
• भविता: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person) एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘भविता’ इति वैदिक/काव्यप्रयोगे कर्तरि भविष्यत् (I will become)

• वेदशिराः: Vedaśiras (name/title)
• वेदशिराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vedasya śirāḥ)

• वेदशिरः: Vedaśiras
• वेदशिरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पदान्तर-रूपभेद (alternate form of the same name)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it is a yuga-wise prophecy of Śiva’s assuming a sage-identity (Vedaśiras) in the Dvāpara when the 15th Vyāsa is Trayyāruṇi, aligning Śiva’s concealment/veiling (tirodhāna) with the unfolding of Vedic transmission through Vyāsa-lineages.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Dvāpara-yuga; enumeration of the 15th Vyāsa (Trayyāruṇi) and Śiva’s future manifestation as Vedaśiras

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa
• Trayyāruṇi
• Vedaśiras

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as the supreme Pati who, out of grace, manifests through sages in specific yugas to preserve Vedic wisdom and guide beings toward liberation.

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

By declaring a deliberate manifestation in time, the verse supports Saguna devotion: the formless Lord takes knowable forms (such as revered rishis) so devotees can approach Him through scripture, worship, and disciplined practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadiness in Vedic-Śaiva discipline—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and reverence to guru and śāstra, seeing them as channels of Shiva’s grace.