The Magnificent temple of Pashupatinath of Nepal
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The magnificent temple of Lord Pashupatinath about 5 km northeast of Kathmandu, is situated amidst many other temples on the right bank of the river Bagmati. Pashupathinath is the guardian spirit and the holiest of all Shiva shrines in Nepal.
Lord Shiva is known by many different names, and Pashupati is one. Pashu means leaving beings, and Pati means master. In other words, Pashupati is the master of all living beings of the universe. This is how lord Pashupati is eulogized in the Vedas, Upanishads and other religious books.
Legends are numerous as to how the temple of Lord Pashupatinath came to existence here. As stated in the chronicles, the image of Lord Shiva in the form of Jyotirlinga was covered with earth over the years, and soft green grass sprouted over it. Further, as the legend goes, a cow used to come here mysteriously every day and offer her milk to this holy but hidden Linga of Lord Shiva. When the Gwala (owner) saw that the cow had stopped giving milk for the last few days he started keeping eye on her, and finally came across the place where the cow used to offer her milk. With a natural curiosity to know the importance of the place, where his cow used to make offerings of her milk, the gwala dug the place and found the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. After this number of gwalas gathered to worship this Linga according to religious conformity, starting the tradition of worshipping this Linga. As time passed Lord Pashupatinath started gaining more and more popularity and reverence of the devotees as a guardian spirit and gradually the temple of Lord Pashupatinath became a great place of pilgrimage.
The rulers of Nepal, over centuries, made contributions in enriching and beautifying this holy temple. According to Gopalraj Vamsavali, the oldest ever chronicle in Nepal, this temple was built by Supus Padeva, a Linchchhavi King who according to the stone inscription erected by Jayadeva 11 in the courtyard of Pashupatinath in 753 AD happened to be the ruler 39 generations before Manadeva (464-505 AD). Yet, there is another chronicle that states that this temple was in the form of Linga-shaped Devalaya before Supus Padeva constructed a five-storey temple of Pashupatinath in this place. As time passed, the need for repairing and renovating this temple arose. It is learnt that this temple was reconstructed by a medieval King named Shivadeva (1099-1126 AD). It was renovated by Ananta Malla adding a roof to it.
As described in history, this temple was attacked and badly destroyed by Sultan Samsuddin of Bengal in the mid-14th Century. This plunder caused so much damage to the temple that it needed reconstruction. It was only after ten years, in 1360 AD, that it could be reconstructed and renovated by Javasimha Ramvardhana. Another renovation work here was taken up by Jyoti Malla in 1416 AD.
The present architectural nature of Pashupatinath temple came into existence as a result of renovation by queen Gangadevi during the reign of Shivasimha Malla (1578-1620 AD). Pashupati area is regarded as one of the most important places of pilgrimages for followers of Hinduism. Thousands of devotees from within and outside the country come to pay homage to Pashupatinath every day. And on special occasions like Ekadasi, Sankranti, Mahashivratri, Teej Akshaya, Rakshabandhan, Grahana (eclipse), and Poornima (Full moon day) people congregate here in far greater numbers.
Being one of the most important Hindu temples, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The temple roofs are gilded and the four doors are made of silver and intricate carvings cover the windows. Many Hindu pilgrims from India as well as from other Asian countries also visit Pashupatinath temple every year. The temple complex has countless shrines and images along with ghats, resthouses and parks that dazzle all those pilgrims who come here to visit. There are also hundreds of Shivalayas, many sadhus and statues all around the temple. Nobody knows the actual number of statues in Pashupatinath temple area.
All ancient Hindu religious text has described Himalayas as the abode and activity of Lord Shiva in which Nepal remained the nucleus.
To the west coast of river Bagmati, which arises from a sprout in the Himalayas, is the revered seat of Lord Pashupatinath. It is said that a holy bath in the Bagmati river at this spot, praying with hymns of 'Rudri Mantra', followed by worshipping Pashupatinath Lingum with Panchamrita - curd, ghee (purified butter) sugar, honey and milk, will render the person free from the cycle of births.
So is the magnanimity of Lord Pashupatinath in the minds of Hindus the world over.
(Source: The Magnificent temple of Pashupatinath of Nepal)
Lord Shiva is known by many different names, and Pashupati is one. Pashu means leaving beings, and Pati means master. In other words, Pashupati is the master of all living beings of the universe. This is how lord Pashupati is eulogized in the Vedas, Upanishads and other religious books.
Legends are numerous as to how the temple of Lord Pashupatinath came to existence here. As stated in the chronicles, the image of Lord Shiva in the form of Jyotirlinga was covered with earth over the years, and soft green grass sprouted over it. Further, as the legend goes, a cow used to come here mysteriously every day and offer her milk to this holy but hidden Linga of Lord Shiva. When the Gwala (owner) saw that the cow had stopped giving milk for the last few days he started keeping eye on her, and finally came across the place where the cow used to offer her milk. With a natural curiosity to know the importance of the place, where his cow used to make offerings of her milk, the gwala dug the place and found the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. After this number of gwalas gathered to worship this Linga according to religious conformity, starting the tradition of worshipping this Linga. As time passed Lord Pashupatinath started gaining more and more popularity and reverence of the devotees as a guardian spirit and gradually the temple of Lord Pashupatinath became a great place of pilgrimage.
The rulers of Nepal, over centuries, made contributions in enriching and beautifying this holy temple. According to Gopalraj Vamsavali, the oldest ever chronicle in Nepal, this temple was built by Supus Padeva, a Linchchhavi King who according to the stone inscription erected by Jayadeva 11 in the courtyard of Pashupatinath in 753 AD happened to be the ruler 39 generations before Manadeva (464-505 AD). Yet, there is another chronicle that states that this temple was in the form of Linga-shaped Devalaya before Supus Padeva constructed a five-storey temple of Pashupatinath in this place. As time passed, the need for repairing and renovating this temple arose. It is learnt that this temple was reconstructed by a medieval King named Shivadeva (1099-1126 AD). It was renovated by Ananta Malla adding a roof to it.
As described in history, this temple was attacked and badly destroyed by Sultan Samsuddin of Bengal in the mid-14th Century. This plunder caused so much damage to the temple that it needed reconstruction. It was only after ten years, in 1360 AD, that it could be reconstructed and renovated by Javasimha Ramvardhana. Another renovation work here was taken up by Jyoti Malla in 1416 AD.
The present architectural nature of Pashupatinath temple came into existence as a result of renovation by queen Gangadevi during the reign of Shivasimha Malla (1578-1620 AD). Pashupati area is regarded as one of the most important places of pilgrimages for followers of Hinduism. Thousands of devotees from within and outside the country come to pay homage to Pashupatinath every day. And on special occasions like Ekadasi, Sankranti, Mahashivratri, Teej Akshaya, Rakshabandhan, Grahana (eclipse), and Poornima (Full moon day) people congregate here in far greater numbers.
Being one of the most important Hindu temples, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The temple roofs are gilded and the four doors are made of silver and intricate carvings cover the windows. Many Hindu pilgrims from India as well as from other Asian countries also visit Pashupatinath temple every year. The temple complex has countless shrines and images along with ghats, resthouses and parks that dazzle all those pilgrims who come here to visit. There are also hundreds of Shivalayas, many sadhus and statues all around the temple. Nobody knows the actual number of statues in Pashupatinath temple area.
All ancient Hindu religious text has described Himalayas as the abode and activity of Lord Shiva in which Nepal remained the nucleus.
To the west coast of river Bagmati, which arises from a sprout in the Himalayas, is the revered seat of Lord Pashupatinath. It is said that a holy bath in the Bagmati river at this spot, praying with hymns of 'Rudri Mantra', followed by worshipping Pashupatinath Lingum with Panchamrita - curd, ghee (purified butter) sugar, honey and milk, will render the person free from the cycle of births.
So is the magnanimity of Lord Pashupatinath in the minds of Hindus the world over.
(Source: The Magnificent temple of Pashupatinath of Nepal)
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