Nobody ever signed the manuscript of the Shiva Samhita with a human name. Centuries of yogic tradition have simply presented it as Shiva himself instructing his consort, Parvati, on the deep workings of yoga, philosophy and tantra. That divine framing makes it a unique jewel in the hatha‐yoga crown—no earthly author is credited.

Scholars tend to date the surviving Sanskrit versions to somewhere between the 17th and 19th centuries, though the core material may be older. Early printed editions only began appearing in the late 1700s. Modern researchers cherish these manuscripts—some tucked away at Oxford or in archives across India—yet none bear an author’s signature. Attributing the work to Shiva is less a literal claim and more a timeless literary device, akin to saying “this wisdom is beyond personhood.”

Today, as millions mark International Day of Yoga or log into livestreamed asana sessions, the Shiva Samhita’s anonymous pedigree feels surprisingly on point. Stripped of ego, its guidance invites each practitioner to tune inward, proving that sometimes the most powerful voice in wellness isn’t a celebrity teacher but the still, small instruction whispered by tradition itself.