Pashupati, Paśupati, Pasupati, Pashu-pati, Paśūpati: 21 definitions

Introduction:

Pashupati means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, Marathi. 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 terms Paśupati and Paśūpati can be transliterated into English as Pasupati or Pashupati, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Wisdom Library: Elements of Hindu Iconograpy

Paśupati (पशुपति):—One of the eight names of Rudra, given to him by Brahmā, according to the Pādma-purāṇa. This aspect became the presiding deity over the air. The corresponding name of the consort is Svāhā. His son is called Sarga.

Shilpashastra book cover
context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Discover the meaning of pashupati or pasupati in the context of Shilpashastra from relevant books on Exotic India

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Pashupati in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

1) Paśupati (पशुपति) refers to one of the eight names of Śiva (śivanāma) and is mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 1.20 while explaining the mode of worshipping an earthen phallic image (pārthiva-liṅga) according to the Vedic rites:—“[...] the eight names of Śiva viz:—Hara, Maheśvara, Śambhu, Śūlapāṇi, Pinākadhṛk, Śiva, Paśupati and Mahādeva shall be used respectively for the rites of bringing the clay, kneading, installation, invocation, ceremonial ablution, worship, craving the forbearance and ritualistic farewell. Each of the names shall be prefixed with Oṃkāra. The name shall be used in the dative case and Namaḥ shall be added to them. The rites shall be performed respectively with great devotion and joy. [...]”.

2) Paśupati (पशुपति) refers to the “lord of Paśus” and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.9 (“Śiva’s campaign”).—Accordingly, as Śiva became the lord of the Paśus: “On hearing these words of lord Śiva, the great soul, Viṣṇu, Brahmā and other gods said.—‘So be it’. Hence all the gods and Asuras became the animals of the lord. Śiva became the lord of animals (paśupati). He is the person who unties the nooses of the animals. Then the name Paśupati, that bestows welfare, spread in all the worlds and became renowned. Then the celestial sage, Indra, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and others rejoiced shouting—‘Victory’. [...]”

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Paśupati (पशुपति).—Fourth name of Śiva; the fifth tanu of Agni; has pacikaśakti; wife Svāhā and son Skanda;1 hence fire to be kept clean.2

  • 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 10. 80; Vāyu-purāṇa 27. 11, 53; 30. 89.
  • 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 10. 13 and 45.

1b) See Rudra;1 the presiding deity of fire.2

  • 1) Matsya-purāṇa 154. 485. Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 8. 6; V. 18. 56.
  • 2) Matsya-purāṇa 162. 9; 265. 40.
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Paśūpati (पशूपति) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. XIV.8) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Paśū-pati) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Paśupati (पशुपति) is the deity to be worshipped in the month Jyeṣṭha for the Anaṅgatrayodaśī-Vrata, according to the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, the Anaṅgatrayodaśī-vrata is observed in honour of Śiva for acquiring virtue, great fortune, wealth and for destruction of sins [...] This vrata is to be performed for a year from Mārgaśīra.—In Jyeṣṭha, the tooth brush is that of plakṣa wood, food is śṛṅgodaka of cow, the deity is Paśupati, the stay near the deity gives the result of donating thousand of cows.

Purana book cover
context information

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.

Discover the meaning of pashupati or pasupati in the context of Purana from relevant books on Exotic India

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Pashupati in Shaivism glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Śaivism

Paśupati (पशुपति) is the Sanskrit name of a deity presiding over Nepāla, one of the sixty-eight places hosting a svāyambhuvaliṅga, which is one of the most sacred of liṅgas according to the Śaivāgamas. The list of sixty-eight svāyambhuvaliṅgas and presiding deities (e.g., Paśupati) is found in the commentary on the Jirṇoddhāra-daśaka by Nigamajñānadeva. The word liṅga refers to a symbol used in the worship of Śiva and is used thoughout Śaiva literature, such as the sacred Āgamas.

Source: Archaeological Survey of India: Śaiva monuments at Paṭṭadakal (śaivism)

Paśupati (पशुपति).—Owing to ignorance human beings are caught entangled in a circle of life and death. Human beings are paśu animals and are bound by pāśa bonds and it is Śiva who cuts off these bonds. That is the reason why He is called Paśupati.

Shaivism book cover
context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Discover the meaning of pashupati or pasupati in the context of Shaivism from relevant books on Exotic India

General definition (in Hinduism)

[«previous next»] — Pashupati in Hinduism glossary
Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study (h)

Paśupati (पशुपति) is a form of Śiva.—The Ṛgveda describes Rudra as Paśupati in a more or less general way although he is more closely connected with cattle but the Atharvaveda mentions cows, horses, goats, sheep and dogs, also deer, ducks, birds and vultures, dolphins, pythons and fish. The Vājasaneyīsaṃhitā connects Rudra with snakes and monsters. In the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa
(2.6.2.2) the mole (ākhu) is the animal of Śiva. Later the mole is specifically allotted to Gaṇeśa, Śivas Puranic and post-Puranic son. In the Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, Śatapathabrāhmaṇa and Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra (4.8.19), Paśupati is a form of Rudra.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Pashupati in Pali glossary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

pasupati : (m.) the god īsvara.

Pali book cover
context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Discover the meaning of pashupati or pasupati in the context of Pali from relevant books on Exotic India

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Pashupati in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

paśupati (पशुपति).—m (S) A name of Shiva as Lord of all living creatures.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

paśupati (पशुपति).—m A name of Shiva as Lord of all living creatures. Blockhead.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Discover the meaning of pashupati or pasupati in the context of Marathi from relevant books on Exotic India

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Pashupati in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Paśupati (पशुपति).—

1) an epithet of Śiva; Meghadūta 38,58; पशुपतिरपि तान्यहानि कृच्छ्रादगमयदद्रिसुतासमा- गमोत्कः (paśupatirapi tānyahāni kṛcchrādagamayadadrisutāsamā- gamotkaḥ) Kumārasambhava 6.95. कस्त्वं (kastvaṃ) ? शूली (śūlī),.........पशुपतिर्नैव दृश्ये विषाणे (paśupatirnaiva dṛśye viṣāṇe) Subhāṣ.

2) a herdsman, owner of cattle.

3) Name of a philosopher who taught the philosophical doctrine called पाशुपत (pāśupata); see Sarva. S. ad loc.

Derivable forms: paśupatiḥ (पशुपतिः).

Paśupati is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms paśu and pati (पति).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Paśupati (पशुपति).—m.

(-tiḥ) 1. A herdsman. 2. A name of Siva. E. paśu living creature, and pati the master, the creator, or preserver; or paśu Siva'S attendant, and pati master; or according to one legend, paśu an animal, which every deity acknowledged himself to be before his lord and master Siva, when they solicited him to destroy the Asura Tripura.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Paśupati (पशुपति).—m. a name of Śiva.

Paśupati is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms paśu and pati (पति).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Paśupati (पशुपति).—[masculine] lord of the animals, [Epithet] of [several] gods.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

1) Paśupati (पशुपति) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—from Malaya, father of Nārāyaṇa (Śāṅkhāyanasūtrapaddhati). W. p. 29.

2) Paśupati (पशुपति):—Kārakaparīkṣā [grammatical] Report. Xviii.

3) Paśupati (पशुपति):—Pravarādhyāya. L. 2248.

4) Paśupati (पशुपति):—Ratnamālā, on precious stones.

5) Paśupati (पशुपति):—son of Dhanaṃjaya, brother of Īśāna and Halāyudha: Daśakarmadīpikā or Daśakarmapaddhati. Quoted in Śuddhikaumudī, by Raghunandana Oxf. 292^a. Śrāddhapaddhati. Mentioned in Halāyudha’s Brahmaṇasarvasva.

6) Paśupati (पशुपति):—Piṅgalaṭīkā (on Prākṛtapiṅgala).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Paśupati (पशुपति):—[=paśu-pati] [from paśu > paś] m. ‘lord of animals’ (or ‘l° of a servant named Paśu’ or ‘l° of the soul’ [Religious Thought and Life in India 89]), Name of the later Rudra-Śiva or of a similar deity (often associated in the Veda with Bhava, Śarva, Ugra, Rudra, Mahā-deva, Īśāna and others who together with Bhīma are in later times regarded as manifestations of Rudra), [Atharva-veda] etc. etc.

2) [v.s. ...] of Agni.; [Taittirīya-saṃhitā; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]

3) [v.s. ...] of Śiva, [Mahābhārata] etc. (according to one legend every deity acknowledged himself to be a mere paśu or animal when entreating Śiva to destroy the Asura Tri-pura)

4) [v.s. ...] of a lexicographer

5) [v.s. ...] of a Scholiast etc.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Paśupati (पशुपति):—[paśu-pati] (tiḥ) 2. m. Shiva.

[Sanskrit to German]

Pashupati in German

context information

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.

Discover the meaning of pashupati or pasupati in the context of Sanskrit from relevant books on Exotic India

Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Pashupati in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Paśupati (ಪಶುಪತಿ):—[noun] Śiva, the lord of all human beings.

--- OR ---

Pasupati (ಪಸುಪತಿ):—[noun] Śiva, the lord of all human beings.

--- OR ---

Pāśupati (ಪಾಶುಪತಿ):—[noun] = ಪಾಶುಪತ [pashupata]2 - 2.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Discover the meaning of pashupati or pasupati in the context of Kannada from relevant books on Exotic India

See also (Relevant definitions)

Relevant text

Related products

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: