Chapter 64 - Paśupatīśvara (paśupata-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: It is an allegory. King Paśupāla was advised by Nārada to see the Liṅga Paśupatīśvara to get rid of Paśutva (the state of being bound due to Mala).

Īśvara said:

1. Do listen to the (greatness of the) Liṅga named Paśupatīśvara, the sixty-fourth deity. By merely visiting it one averts birth in animal womb.

2-9. O great goddess, there was an extremely righteous king well-known all over the earth as Paśupāla. He was engaged in the protection of animals. Once, with a desire to see the ocean, he went on a visit to the ocean. There he saw five male beings stationed conspicuously. There was a woman with loose dishevelled hairs moving about constantly. Struck with fear, the king swooned. He was encircled by those robbers and particularly by that woman. Another group (of five robbers) came simultaneously and surrounded the excellent king. The king was bound by all of them who stood surrounding him. As the king stood restrained, all the robbers became merged into one. They were struck by Paśupāla but they did not die. They rose up again. On seeing the undauntedness of the king and his steadfastness in the fight, all those ten robbers became merged into the body of the king. As if originally incorporeal, all of them became united together. On seeing them, King Paśupāla immediately became sad. Then he saw the great sage Nārada, the son of Brahmā, who was endowed with penance, coming to him. The king asked him:

Paśupāla said:

10-16a. O holy Sir, O son of Brahmā, a curious thing was seen by me today. All of a sudden, five terrifying male beings came on me. I was encircled by those wicked ones who made me agitated by striking with fists. But, O Brāhmaṇa, in an instant I became normal. Then another group of five persons came and wrestled with me. “Let this base king desirous of liberation be killed, be struck down.” Saying thus, they afflicted me very much. I swooned again. In the meantime that woman repeatedly advised me: “O great king, be firm and steadfast. O Lord, do not become sad. These robbers are deficient in vigour. But you are efficient. Hence do be steady.” At her instance, O great Brāhmaṇa, courageously I fought with those ten important persons and defeated them. They did not die, O holy Sir; they got merged in my body. Who are they? Who is that woman?

16b. On hearing the words of Paśupāla, Nārada spoke these words:

I7ab. “The men who were conquered by you in fight (but) were seen merged in your body by you, were five cognitive organs and five conative ones.

I7c-18a. O excellent king! The woman who was seen moving about by you, was Buddhi (Intelligence). In the form of mind she always wanders and is never steady.

18b-19a. They (the sense-organs) were formerly subdued by Brahmā, the Creator of the world, (but) even he got infuriated through objects of senses dear to him.

19b-20. The share of Śaṃbhu was not appropriated by Brahmā in his sacrifice. Mahādeva is the annihilator of the universe. (But,) O king, he (too) was deluded by his sense-organs and he became angry with Suras (Devas).

21-25. The Suras are the ^Vibhūtis (empowered parts) of Śiva. All the three worlds are solely intended for his sport. Yet, by him the bow was strung well for the sake of a share! The teeth of Pūṣan were shattered. Divākara (the Sun) was made unconscious. The eyes of Bhaga were plucked and the god of Yajña in the form of an antelope was hit. The Devas were turned into Paśus (animals). The sages were denied the Vedas. The Dharmaśāstras of the sages were taken away by the all-powerful Lord. (Hence) sages who have mastered the Vedas say that the sense-organs are invincible. The intellect in the form of mind is excessively so and cannot be brought under control. Hence, O king, do not be grief-stricken for no reason.”

On hearing the words of the noble-souled Nārada, O great goddess, Paśupāla began to speak.

Paśupāla said:

26-29. O holy Sir, I wish to hear how the Devas with Indra as their leader, as well as Brahmā were liberated by you from the state of Paśu. Let it be narrated.

On hearing his words, Nārada spoke again: “Even during the state of Paśu, the Devas in the company of sages and saints kept Brahmā at their head and sought refuge in Īśvara. The deity who invariably blesses the devotee was pleased with the eulogies. O king, he said: “Let what should be done be told.”

The Devas said:

30. O Bhava, if Maheśvara is pleased with us as before, do not delay; grant us the Vedas and the Śāstras as well as perfect knowledge.

Īśvara said:

31-33a. All of you are Paśus. Accompany me to the holy spot Mahākālavana that causes liberation from the state of Paśus. I shall become your Pati (Lord) and thereby you will attain liberation. In order to be sympathetic to you and to bless the worlds I shall assume the form of a Liṅga by the name Paśupatīśvara.

Then all the Devas visited the Lord and became liberated from the state of Paśu. They went to heaven in great delight.

33b-37. Brahmā spoke to Paśupati with the mind fully pleased: “As regards the people who see you, the Lord of Devas, with great devotion, all the persons in their families, all the Pitṛs who have attained Paśutva (animal status) due to the fruition of their Karmas, will get liberated. Let the sins committed by men knowingly or unknowingly, be dissolved by worshipping that deity. If Paśupati, the liberator of persons from animal state is not visited by men, they are no better than animals in the world. Of what avail is their life? By seeing Śiva named Paśupati, the sins incurred during childhood, youth or old age, get dissolved.

38-44. If men visit you in the month of Pauṣa, you shall be the bestower of boons on them, O Lord who always confer what they desire to have. If in the course of a day in the month of Pauṣa, men visit you, O Lord of Devas, undoubtedly they will attain more than the benefit mentioned as resulting from the gift of gold to a deserving person made over during a solar eclipse, especially in Kurukṣetra. It shall be everlasting and undiminished. But by visiting the Lord one day in the month of Pauṣa, the benefit will be greater. There is no doubt about it.” (Nārada said:) “After saying this Lord Brahmā went to Brahmaloka, O king, along with sages and wise men. He considered his duty fulfilled. He was pleased with himself. Hence, O great king, if you desire the greatest goal, propitiate that Liṅga that liberates one from brutish womb. Go to Mahākālavana and worship the deity to the south of Indreśvara.”

On hearing the words of the noble-souled Nārada, O my beloved, Paśupāla went to Mahākālavana. By visiting that Liṅga he attained the highest goal.

Thus, O goddess, the sin-destroying power of Paśupatīśvara has been narrated. Listen to (that of) the deity Brahmeśvara.