This paper presents theoretical analyses for unstable vibrations caused by the couple of bending and torsion in a rotating shaft driven through a universal joint. A driving shaft is assumed to be rigid and to rotate with a constant angular velocity. The driven shaft system consists of a flexible shaft with a circular section and a symmetrical rotor attached at a point between the shaft ends. Equations of motion derived hold with an accuracy of the second order of shaft deformations, and are analyzed by the asymptotic method. The vibrations become unstable when the driving shaft rotates with the angular velocity to be approximately equal to half of the sum of the natural frequencies for whirling and torsional vibrations.