Saura-purana (analytical study)
by Priyanku Chakraborty | 2019 | 92,293 words
This page relates ‘Introduction to Pashupata Shaivism’ of the study on the Saura-Purana—an important Upapurana associated with the Puranic Pashupata sect of Shaivism—and offers crucial insights into the socio-religious, philosophical, and cultural history of India. The study further delves into the oral, literary, and archaeological context of Purana literature (such as the Saurapurana), highlighting its intricate connections with Vedic and Tantric traditions.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 3.3 - Introduction to Pāśupata Śaivism
The mention of “Śiva-bhāgavatas” is found in the Vaiyākaraṇa-mahābhāṣya of Patañjali while commenting the Pāṇini-śūtra—
“ayaḥ-śūla-daṇḍājinābhyāṃ ṭhkṭhṅau” (5.2.76).
As per Patañjali the word “ayaśūlika” refers a Śiva-bhāgavata.[1] The earliest literary references to the Pāśupatas are probably found in the Vaiyāsika Mahābhārata. The very mention of the Pāśupatas are also found in the different Purāṇas, like the Kūrma-purāṇa, Skanda.p and so on.
The Pāśupatas hold that, due to bondage (pāśa) all living beings are “paśu”. Only Śiva is beyond all bondage. He removes the noose being pleased, for this reason he called “Paśupati”.[2] The way to please Śiva (including yogic practices, chanting mantras, worshipping etc.) is termed as the “pāśupata-yoga” or “māheśvara-yoga” in the Vayu.p, Saura-purāṇa, Liṅga-purāṇa etc.
The Pāśupata doctrine is mainly introduced from the Pāśupatasūtra (c. first-second centuries CE), Kauṇḍinya’s “Pañcārthabhāṣya” (c. fourth-fifth centuries CE) on it, Gaṇakārika of Haradatta, Bhāsarvajña’s “Ratnaṭika” on it, Mādhava’s (c. fourteenth century CE) Sarvadarśanasamgraha etc. As per the statement of the Vaiyāsika Mahābhāratā, the system of Pāśupata was introduced by Śiva himself.[3] However, Lakulīśa (who is mentioned in the Purāṇas as an incarnation of Śiva himself[4]) was regarded as the founder or systematiser of the Pāśupata-cult. R. G. Bhandarkar assigned Lakulīśa to the first half of the second century CE.[5]
The cult of Pāśupata Śaivism was very popular in India probably from the c. fifth-sixth centuries CE onwards. The sculptures of Lakulīśa of the post-Gupta period are found throughout India. The Chinese pilgrim Zung-xang (c. seventh centuries CE) mentions Pāśupatas twelve times.[6] Their reference can also be found in Baṇabhatta’s (c. sixth centuries CE) composition. However, it is necessary to state that the term Pāśupata was used not only for a particular doctrine, but sometimes also for the Śiva-worshippers in general.[7]
According to the Skanda-purāṇa, Pāśupata is one of the five main Śaiva sects, while others are the Kālamukha, Kaṅkāla, Śaiva and Mahāvrata:
“kālo mukhaṃ ca kaṅkālaṃ śaivaṃ pāśupataṃ tathā|
mahāvrataṃ pañca cetaḥ śivamārga-pravṛttayaḥ||”[8]
Ānandagiri mentions six Śaiva sects, these are—Śaiva, Raudra, Ugra, Bhaṭṭa, Jaṅgama and Pāśupata.[9] [10] However, Vācaspati Miśra and Bhāskarācārya, both belonging to the ninth century, divide the Śaiva sects into four categories–Śaivas, Pāśupatas, Kāpālikas and Kāruṇika-siddhāntins.[11]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
J. N. Banerjea: Pañcopāsanā, p. 147.
[2]:
The “Śatarudriya” section of the Yajurveda refers the epithet “Paśupati” (“paśupataye namaḥ”, 16. 28). In this context we can also refer another portion from the text: “diśāṃ ca pataye namaḥ | namo bṛkṣebhyo harikeśebhaḥ| paśūnāṃ pataye namaḥ|...” (16. 17). It is also needed to note that the epithet “Paśupati” also means “lord of animals”, instead of “lord of all living beings” and the first one may be the earlier meaning, the second one developed later with Philosophical charms. The Varāha-purāṇa describes that, when the gods attended a sacrifice, to which Śiva was not invited, the latter cursed them to be beasts; and he said that he would be their lord. Hence he was called “Paśupati” (33. 30).
[3]:
R.C. Hazra: “Pre-Puranic Hindu Society before 200 A.D.” The Indian Historical Quarterly, Vol. 15, pp. 414-15.
[4]:
Vāyu-purāṇa, 23. 200; Liṅga-purāṇa, 1. 24. 129-33. The Kūrma-purāṇa mentions Nakuli as the twenty-eighth incarnation of Śiva (1. 52. 10).
[5]:
R. G. Bhandarkar: Op. cit., pp. 120-21.
[7]:
Ibid., p. 128. Also see: R. G. Bhandarkar: Op. cit., p. 119.
[9]:
Ānandagiri describes the Śaivas as “advaita-drohiṇaḥ śaivā liṅgāṅkitabhujadvayāḥ”. Moreover according to him, the rituals like bearing the liṅgas ymbol, smeared body with ashes etc. of the Śaivas as well as the Pāśupatas did not recognize by Śaṃkara. (Śaṃkaravijaya, pp. 448-55 etc.; also see: Upendrakumar Das: Sastramulak Bharatiya Shaktisadhana, vol. 1, p.
[10]:
[11]:
S. R. Goyel: Op. cit., p. 119.