Pashapani, Pāśapāṇi, Pasha-pani: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Pashapani means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Pāśapāṇi can be transliterated into English as Pasapani or Pashapani, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि, “noose-carrier”) refers to one of the fifty-six vināyakas located at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), and forms part of a sacred pilgrimage (yātrā), described in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Skanda-purāṇa 4.2.57). He is also known as Pāśapāṇivināyaka, Pāśapāṇigaṇeśa and Pāśapāṇivighneśa. These fifty-six vināyakas are positioned at the eight cardinal points in seven concentric circles (8x7). They center around a deity named Ḍhuṇḍhirāja (or Ḍhuṇḍhi-vināyaka) positioned near the Viśvanātha temple, which lies at the heart of Kāśī, near the Gaṅges. This arrangement symbolises the interconnecting relationship of the macrocosmos, the mesocosmos and the microcosmos.
Pāśapāṇi is positioned in the Northern corner of the first circle of the kāśī-maṇḍala. According to Rana Singh (source), his shrine is located at “on Panchakroshi route, Sadar Bazaar”. Worshippers of Pāśapāṇi will benefit from his quality, which is defined as “the giver of good life in Kāśī”. His coordinates are: Lat. 25.21278, Lon. 82.57822 (or, 25°12'46.0"N, 82°34'41.6"E) (Google maps)
Pāśapāṇi, and the other vināyakas, are described in the Skandapurāṇa (the largest of the eighteen mahāpurāṇas). This book narrates the details and legends surrounding numerous holy pilgrimages (tīrtha-māhātmya) throughout India. It is composed of over 81,000 metrical verses with the core text dating from the before the 4th-century CE.
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि) refers to “one holding a noose in his hand”, attributed to Yama’s soldiers (Yamabhaṭa or Yamagaṇa), as mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.18.—Accordingly:—“[...] the terrible (vikaṭa) soldiers (bhaṭa) of Yama [viz., Yamabhaṭa] who desired to take him [viz., Guṇanidhi] to Saṃyamani (Saṃyamanī, the abode of Yama), approached him with nooses (pāśa) and clubs (mudgara) in their hands (pāṇi) [viz., Pāśapāṇi and Mudgarapāṇi] and bound (baddha) him. [...]”.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि).—an epithet of Varuṇa.
Derivable forms: pāśapāṇiḥ (पाशपाणिः).
Pāśapāṇi is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pāśa and pāṇi (पाणि). See also (synonyms): pāśadhara.
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि).—m.
(-ṇiḥ) A name of Varuna, the regent of water. E. pāśa a sort of noose, and pāṇi the hand, Varuna being represented as holding a cord in one hand, shaped like a sling or a noose.
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि):—[=pāśa-pāṇi] [from pāśa] m. ‘n° in hand’ idem, [ṢaḍvBr.]
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि):—[pāśa-pāṇi] (ṇiḥ) 2. m. Varuna.
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि):—(pāśa + pā) adj. eine Schlinge in der Hand tragend; m. Beiname Varuṇa’s [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 188,] [Scholiast] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha 2, 546] (wo pāśapāṇau zu lesen ist). [Halāyudha 1, 74.] [Ṣaḍviṃśabrāhmaṇa 5, 5.]
Pāśapāṇi (पाशपाणि):—Adj. —
1) eine Schlinge in der Hand haltend. —
2) m. Beiname Varuṇa's.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Pāśapāṇi (ಪಾಶಪಾಣಿ):—[noun] Yama or Varuṇa who holds a length of rope (with a noose at one end).
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Pasha, Pani, Paca.
Starts with: Pashapaniganesha, Pashapanivighnesha, Pashapanivinayaka.
Full-text: Pashapanivinayaka, Pashapanivighnesha, Pashapaniganesha, Pashahasta, Zhuo shou, Pashadhara, Yamabhata, Mudgarapani, Vinayaka, Paci.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Pashapani, Pāśa-pāṇi, Pasa-pani, Pāśapāṇi, Pasapani, Pasha-pani; (plurals include: Pashapanis, pāṇis, panis, Pāśapāṇis, Pasapanis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 220 < [Volume 4, Part 1 (1908)]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 68 < [Gujarati-Hindi-English, Volume 2]
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 57 - Manifestation of Dhuṇḍhi Vināyaka and Fifty-six Vināyakas < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
Chapter 12 - The Worlds of Nirṛti and Varuṇa < [Section 1 - Pūrvārdha]
Chapter 85 - Granting of Boons to Durvāsas < [Section 2 - Uttarārdha]
Atharvaveda ancillary literature (Study) (by B. R. Modak)
Part 2 - Religion in the Atharvaveda-Parisistas < [Chapter 2c - General study of the Atharvaveda-Parisistas]
Part 5.3.9 - Omens related to Divinities < [Chapter 2b - A Topical Analysis of the Atharvaveda-Parisistas]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)