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Pasupata (also known as Pashupatha) Shaivism is not only one of the oldest sects of Shaivism but also one of the oldest Ascetic sects of the Indian subcontinent. Some view it as a philosophical principle, Pasupata Darsana. However, it was an ancient sectarian tradition in Saiva, with more than 2000 years of history.
Pasupata Saivism is well-regarded as a religion, with a long history, although our knowledge of it is limited due to a few textual sources and secrecy associated with the cult. However, based on the information available and references in other texts we can still build a satisfactory account of its history and philosophy.
Pasupata (pasu + pata) gets its name from Pasupati, which is the epithet of Lord Shiva or Vedic Rudra. It has many meanings, listed below.
1) Road (pata) leading to Pasupati
2) The path or path (pata) revealed and preached by Pasupati
3) The path (pata) in which the bound souls (pasus) gain freedom
4) A path (pata) that destroys bonds or obligations (pass)
5) The path (pata) that frees creatures from the Maya trap (pass)
6) A trap (pasa) that destroys (patana) delusion and ignorance
Pasupata’s philosophy is a practical system, with a strong emphasis on process wisdom and transformation, which aims to free souls trapped in the cycle of birth and death and help them gain an eternal relationship (sayujya) with Shiva in higher intelligence or higher consciousness. (Buddha). In the following discussion, we review the history, principles, philosophy and practical application of Pasupata Shaivism in detail.
Literary Sources
Information about this program is stored in a few documents. The earliest references to it are found in the Mahabharata, a few passages from Brahmasutra commentaries, and the “Pasupata Vow” of Atharvasira Upanishad. Gopinath Kaviraj states that according to Siva Purana (V. (a) 28. 15 · 16) the original teachings of this sect seem to have been contained in the four Samarites of Atharvaveda compiled by Ruru, Dadhici, Agastya and Upamanyu respectively.
The Atharvasira Upanishad contains references to the Pasupatha Vrata as a ritual involving the anointing of the body with ashes. Ash is compared to the existence of nature, by declaring that ashes are fire, water, earth, space, mind, eyes, senses, and all. By doing vrata the prisoners (pasus) are freed from the noose (pasa), which leads to their liberation from slavery (pasupasa vimochana) and the attainment of the supreme power (siddhis) of the Supreme Self.
Madhavacharya, Kesava, Kasmiri and Ramananda refer to an ancient inscription called, Pasupata-sastra-panchartha darsana, whose ownership is named after Mahesvara. It had five chapters. At present, the main source of this teaching is the Pasupata Sutra, which was discovered in 1940, but it is probably very old and archaic and difficult to interpret. It is presented to us as the revelation of Rudra, who became Lakulisa by entering the body of Brahmana dead on purpose. According to Gavin D. Flood is the only ancient Pasupata text we have.
Rasikara, said to be the 28th and final exhibition of Siva, wrote a commentary called Pancharthabhasya, which is considered an important source. It discusses the five elements (arthas) of existence. He probably lived during the Guptas (300-500 AD) and was traditionally known for his surname (or surname) and Kaundinya. Culture considers her 17th in the list of teachers after Lakulisa.
The Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta (10th Century AD) is another important source, which contains important information about the sect and where he refers to a source of doctrine as the Bhairava tradition of Kashmir. Ganakarika (commentary on the Ganas) is a short work of eight verses (10th Century AD or earlier), forming part of the Ratnaṭīkā of Bhāsarvajña. Contains a summary of the entire Lakulisa Pasupata program.
Madhavacharya (14th century) reviewed his teaching under the heading Lakulisa Pasupata Darsana in his book Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha, an important source for scholars of Indian philosophy and religion. Rasikara’s name is clearly mentioned in this work. Sivananda’s Yoga Chintamani mentions a work called Nakulisa Yoga Parayana. However, we do not know its contents. Dayana (11th century) discussed this in his book Nyaya Kusumanjali. Ddyotakara, described himself as Pasupatacharya in his Nyayavarttika work. The Brahmasutra of Badarayana devoted a whole part in the second chapter to oppose the doctrine of this sect.
Antecedents
References to the Shiva and Shaiva sects are found in several ancient Upanishads, suggesting that some of the lesser-known sects of Shaivism flourished from the Vedic or pre-Vedic times. Atharvaveda refers to the Vratyas, a group of mendicants who appear to have been closely associated with the Pasupata. As the name implies, as the Pasupatas practiced a form of Vrata (austerity), they did not bathe in water, roamed in groups begging for food, worshiped Rudra and sat on the edge of the community.
Panini (fifth century BC) cites unequivocally the existence of Shiva devotees (shivadibhyo) in his day. Greek historians of Alexander’s day refer to Shiva worshipers as Sibae or Siboi. The Mahabhashya of Pananjali refers to the Shiva Bhagavatas, who worshiped the Shiva and wielded iron axes. Patanjali did not disclose their excessive and unusual actions.
The Vamana Purana mentions four categories of Shiva Linga worshipers namely the Saiva, the Pasupata or the Mahapasupata, the Kaladamana, and the Kapalika and suggests that all four came from Brahma. It also claims that the Pasupata sect was led by Maharshi Bharadvaja and his student, Raja Somakesvara.
We learn from Siva Purana that Vasudeva Krishna was taught the Pasupata system by Upamanyu, the older brother of Dhaumya. According to some historians, the Pasupata system existed even in the days of the Buddha and the Mahavira and the Ajivaka, an ancient sect led by the Gosala, following numerous Pasupata rituals.
Ramanuja (12th century) mentioned four sects that followed the “doctrine of Pasupati” namely Kapala, Kalamukha, Pasupata and Sarva. To them the Pasupata sect was the oldest. In these four sections the Pasupata and the Kalalamha share many of the same beliefs and practices. Pasupata preceded Kamukha and was therefore regarded by some as his “spiritual parent.” According to R.G. Bhandarkar the Siva Bhagavatas, mentioned by Patanjali, could be ahead of Lakulisa Pasupatas.
The history of Pasupata Shaivism is vague, with many gaps and limited historical resources to discover its true origins and gradually develop. The problem is compounded by the fact that many of the sect’s doctrines and practices remained secretive and confined to the church’s followers and educators. The Mahabharata lists Pasupata as one of the seven sciences (Tantra) given to the gods and the people by King Shiva.
Some scholars suggest that the sect was founded by Sikantha, who is mentioned in several texts, such as Shantiparva of Mahabharata, Tantraloka, Shivadristi, Brhadyamala, and Shiva Purana. Culture revere him as the god of the Saiva sect. Tantraloka says he passed on information through five streams, referring to his five heads or possibly to his disciples or descendants. Many agree that Sikantha appears to be part of the Puranic lore and not a historical person. Even if he did exist, we have no evidence that he was the founder of the movement.
Some believe that he may have become a Lakulisa teacher, considered by many scholars, based on convincing knowledge, such as the founder of a sect or that co-ordinated and edited its existing doctrine. Historians have little to say about the time of his life and are likely to date him between 200 BC and 200 AD. According to Vayu Puranas, when Vasudeva Krishna was born on earth, Shiva appeared as Lakulisa. However, this is not proved by any other evidence.
Lakulisa describes the king (isa) obeas a club (lakula). He is also known by other names (Nakulisa, Lakulesa, Lakulin, Lagendesa and Lakulisvara). In the photo, he is depicted as a shy man, sitting in a lotus position, with a straight penis, holding Shivalinga in his right hand and a club in his left. Culture respects him as a manifestation of Shiva.
References to Lakulisa are found in Vayu Purana, Linga Purana and Karavana Mahatmya, in addition to the three medieval texts. The Kurma Purana states that Lakulisa was the last (avatara) of the Shiva in human form. The Karavana Mahatmya gives a detailed account, stating that he was born to Brahmana parents in Kayavarohana (Karwana) in the Baruch district of present-day Gujarat (Brgukaccha), but died as a baby at just seven months of age. He came to life again because of Shiva’s grace and performed many supernatural miracles before taking up priestly duties.
Linga and Vayu Puranas suggest that Lakulisa was none other than Shiva. He manifested himself as Lakulisa by entering the body of the dead Brahman and reviving it in order to convey Pasupata’s knowledge to his devotees. It is also possible that during this time Shaivism made many changes, and some of its conflicting practices were abandoned in favor of traditional worship and worship in order to overcome public opposition to such practices and to respond to the growing popularity of non-violent cultures such as Buddhism and Jainism. .
Lakulisa had four students, Kusika, Gargya, Kaurusa and Maitreya. Haripada Chakraborti (Pasupata Sutram and Panchartha Bhashya of Kaundinya) states that according to Indonesian tradition, four students from Lakulisa and Patanjali (Mahabhashya writer) formed the Pasupatha Pentad. A tenth-century inscription with a picture of Shiva holding a stick with the names of four students was found in a temple in Nath near Udaipur in Rajasthan, proving the authenticity of Nakulisa.
According to Chintraprasasti (1274-96), four students established four pedigree traditions for the cult. They then split into several subdivisions and traditions of teachers. Some of them lasted until the end of the Middle Ages. Two medieval scholars, Gunaratna and Rajasekhara, spoke of the 18 (three) principal teachers of the cult, beginning with Nakulisa and ending with Vidyaguru.
Extent of influence
Thus, we’ve got enough references to finish that Lakulisa performed a substantial position withinside the recognition of the sect. Undoubtedly, Pasupata faculty had an extended line of instructors who preserved and promoted it from the 4th century for approximately a millennium and half. The sect thrived in distinctive elements of India till the past due medieval duration earlier than it declined and disappeared altogether. It received prominence withinside the 7th century, “as evidenced with the aid of using Hiuen Tsiang, Bana and Bhavabhuti.”
In its heydays (seventh to 14th centuriy), it turned into famous withinside the South, in particular withinside the Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra region. In the north, it thrived withinside the Odisha, Central India, UP, Gujarat and Nepal. David N. Lorenzen states, “By the time of Harshavardhana (606-647 AD) and possibly as early as Gupta times, there have been Pasupata temples in maximum elements of India.”
The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang heard reviews approximately “ash-smered fans of the outer way, i.e., Pasupata heretics at Jalandhara in East Punjab, Achicchatra in U.P., Malakuta in South India, Khota, Kapisa (Nuristan) in East Afghanistan, Gandhara, Varanasi and elsewhere. Two early 7th century inscriptions registering presents to Pasupata ascetics were sure as a ways afield as South-East Asia.”
Hiuen Tsiang additionally referred to 10,000 Pasupatas at Varanais on my own and noticed many big Shiva temples withinside the South. Pasupatas also are cited at once or not directly withinside the South Indian play, Mattavilas and withinside the Brahat Samhita of Varahamihira. In the preface to his work, Pasupata Sutras with Pancharthabhashya of Kaundinya, R. Anantakrishna Sastri writes, “The have an effect on and recognition of this Pasupata gadget is properly visible from the truth that the entire of Hindustan believed in a single best God, Pasupati, until the give up of the ninth century, even though there have been times in which the worship of Vedic deities like Vishnu, Skanda, Uma, etc., turned into carried on in a few elements.”
The 3 well-known exponents of the foremost philosophical structures of Hinduism particularly Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya and Madhavacharya have been conversant with the doctrine and practices of the Pasupata sect.Madhvacharya cited withinside the Shankaradigvijaya a dialogue among Shankaracharya and a few Kapalikas (a by-product sect of Pasupata). Anandagiri additionally mentions any other debate among them at Ujjain.
In the fifteenth century, Gujarat and Nepal have been the strongholds of the sect. Although it’s far presently extinct in its authentic shape, rudimentary factors of the sect and versions of its ideals and practices are nevertheless practiced in a few shape in distinctive sects of Shaivism, which comply with the left-hand practices or the so known as severe path (atimarga).
Although the sect disappeared with the aid of using the give up of fifteenth or sixteenth century, it nevertheless lives on thru different sects along with Vira Shaivism and Goraknath Shaivism, that have factors of Pasupata Shaivism. Just because the Pasupatas, in a few sects of Shaivism every practitioner is obliged to put on a garland of human bones and bring a cranium capped personnel and a cranium-begging bowl at some point of his wanderings for meals and alms.
The culture of carrying a Sivalinga at the frame which remains practiced in Vira Shaivism (twelfth Century AD) possibly got here from Pasupata culture. In a few descriptions, Vira Saivas are called Pasupatas and their sect as Pasupata matha. According to Shivapurana, folks who study Pasupata Vrata are obliged to put on a linga on their our bodies during it. The most important distinction appears to be the early Pasupatas strictly accompanied caste policies and admitted simplest Brahmanas while Virasaivas objected to the winning caste gadget.
Philosophy and practice
David N. Lorenzen, Schultz, and Ingall suggested that “the theology and the ritual of the Pasupatas sect” “are fundamentally different. Since the Pasupata Sutra is fully devoted to this practice, it is possible that the philosophy was second only.” However, this assertion may not be true, for although the Pasupata Sutra is the only text available, it was not the only text. There must have been others who were lost.
Second, it is difficult to justify any practice that involves excessive self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice without proper explanation. Third, gurus or teachers play a vital role in guiding travelers. They could give them any information needed to stay on track, without spreading it. Controversy over which Pasupatas often associated with others such as Shankara or Buddhists also suggested that they could not do so without proper philosophical and psychological reasoning.
In addition, Shaivism has a rich and varied theology. You will find in it a great emphasis on both knowledge and practice. It recognizes the importance of both the mantra and tantra traditions in the spiritual advancement of human beings, at the same time a good balance between devotional theism and spiritual practice. The Pasupata sect which is an integral part of it and its product would never be different. Different sections of the Pasupata sect may follow different paths, following the original teachings of Lakulisa.
Pasupata Shaivism believes in one God. It is a form of extreme self-denial (atimarga), in contrast to the traditional mantra (mantra marg) tradition of the Vedic religion. Theistic devotion to Lord Shiva as your source, teacher and master is all your way. It is philosophically classified as part of a bed-bed school (distinct but not distinct), in that each soul is the same as the Supreme Self but has a theoretical difference in fiction. In essence, it relies more on Dvaita’s philosophy than on Advaita as it believes in human existence and the independence of souls after their freedom to share the same wisdom as Shiva.
The sect has much in common with Samkhya philosophy especially with regard to both Purusha and Prakriti. However, unlike Samkhya he mainly believes in God and sees King Shiva as the Supreme Being and creator of all things. It recognizes only three truths, Pati (God), Pasu (creatures) and Pasa (chains or bonds), and three pramana or ways of finding the truth namely the vision (pratyaksha), inference (anumana) and oral evidence (sabda) of reliable sources. such as teachers, artists, God or scriptures.
The followers of this sect follow the path of Shiva in word and deed, thus justifying the name, Pasupata or Pasupathi. The program seeks unconditional commitment to the path and strict discipline, with clear guidelines for each stage of development. After their inception, the Pasupata spent their lives thinking about Shiva, fully manifesting themselves with him in order to overcome all traces of dualism and diversity. They face increasing stamina so that in the final stages they do not panic or deviate in the face of major challenges in the process of removing any remnants of past attachments and hidden desires, or longing for life.
They imitate Rudra too in their actions and appearance. They covered their bodies with ashes, wore crowns of human bones, and carried skulls and bowls in public as part of their daily regrets. To them strong discipline and self-denial were part of an ongoing ritual (mahavrata), similar to those in the Hindu law books that instructed those who had committed the deadly sin of killing Brahmana. Shiva himself said he made the same regret long after cutting off one of the five Brahma heads in anger.
The Pancharthas
At the heart of Pasupata’s philosophy is the Panchartha or the last five principles, universal or divisive, which cover the whole being from the highest to the lowest. They provide a broad framework of philosophy and spirituality for the cult to justify its beliefs and practices. Because of its importance, Pasupata’s philosophy is also known as Panchartha. Kaundinya points them to his analysis (Bhashya) and gives a detailed explanation. Shankaracharya also mentioned them. They are described as follow
1. Karana
It refers to the root cause or source of everything, namely God or Shiva. In the Pasupata system, Shiva is the cause of everything, and everything else, including souls and Nature, comes from him. For Shiva, only one cause exists, and in others there are both cause and effect. Therefore, they are subject to change. Shiva stands for supreme eternal truth as the ultimate cause of all creation.
As a very high, unchanging truth, he goes by different names like Rudra, Deva, Jyestha, Pasupati, Mahesvara, Kala, etc. He is eternal, indestructible, independent and powerful by nature (we ate), has infinite power and creates whatever he wants. favorites. He is not bound by any duty, obligation, law or compulsion.
Everything happens according to His will and grace (karuna or anugraha). You are responsible for creating, preserving, getting lost, freeing and destroying. He is the architect (anugrahaka) of both creation and destruction and the first man (eat) endowed with infinite power, knowledge, and all kinds of abundance. He is completely independent because he is not bound by karma or any other factor. It also has the power to reduce the karma of anyone. Therefore, in the Pasupata program there is a strong emphasis on cultivating loyalty to Shiva and gaining her favor.
2. Karya
This refers to the measure of all the effects, actions and movements that occur as a result of a higher cause (karana) as a proposed object, dependent, something else. Karya (effect) cannot exist without karana (reason). It is said to be triple, Vidya, Kala and Pasu and contains all the sensitive and invisible aspects of life including the elements, guns and tattvas of Prakriti and the united souls (pasus).
All the things and creatures that are part of Karya are bound to cause and effect. Therefore, they are subject to change. In God, both cause and effect or infinite and eternal, but creatures, are bound to time (measure). Therefore, the results often take some time to become apparent. Creatures (Pasus) are of two kinds, those that have bodies and those that do not.
However, the Pasupata sect did not believe in the creation of the cycle of creation. Since Shiva is independent and is not bound by any activity, principle or so on, his actions are not expected. He does whatever he pleases. Therefore, his creation or destruction is not always possible. The sect also does not seem to believe in creation (effect). It is true and different from the final truth of Shiva.
Created beings or souls are subject to karma, as they are bound by both cause and effect and exist in time (Kala), the enforcer of karma. However, as an independent fact Shiva is obliged not to commit karma or any other cause. Therefore, he is completely free to do as he pleases and even destroy the karma of any devotion he loves. The Pasupata aim to accumulate good karma and pass on their bad karma in order to attain purity. At the same time, their main goal is to achieve the required level of cleanliness and to gain Shiva’s favor as she can change anyone’s destiny.
3. Yoga
Yoga means union. It refers to a state or situation in which the merged Selves attain unity with the Supreme Self and participate in its essential nature. The Union states that they met in Shiva. Each soul does not associate with Shiva or lose its personality. They may forget the difference between personal and non-personal but are “forever connected” with Shiva through an uninterrupted connection. However, the organization does not mean that liberated souls (siddheswaras) belong to Shiva or are bound to him. They remain independent like Shiva and free from his control of any limit.
Pasupata Yoga has more details and breadth and purpose than Patanjali. Unlike Samkhya Yoga, the focus is not on the Self but on Shiva, and the goal is not just personal freedom but intimacy (samipya) and spiritual fellowship (sayujya) with him. Moreover, the emphasis on gaining Shiva’s favor is more than striving to maintain chastity. In Samkhya Yoga, the soul has no way of overcoming karma without the practice of Yoga eightfold. In Pasupata yoga, that effort can be summed up in a single word: Shiva.
Esoteric rituals, physical and mental worship, teacher worship, scripture study, meditation and meditation on Shiva, austerities and purification practices are some of the best ways to achieve unity with Him. Yoga techniques are divided into two, practical (kriyatmaka) combining effort and action (kriyaparama) in which all actions must end and one must surrender by accident or divine will. The result of Yoga is not alone (kaivalya) but unity with Shiva (paramesvaravarya) and the end of suffering (dukhanta).
4. Vidhi
Refers to rituals and ceremonies or ways in which one can obtain Shiva favor by worship and conversion practices. The Pasupata program has detailed procedures and strategies for overcoming mental and physical pollution and for achieving chastity. Their goal is to eradicate sinful karma and obstacles and accumulate good karma through effort and transfer.
Vidi of two types, primary and secondary. The Basic Vidar includes traditions (charyas). There are also two types, vrata and dvara. Vratas are oaths in which the seekers remain committed to certain goals, actions, procedures, virtues and ceremonies for a period of time in order to obtain the desired results. Common vratas are bathing in ashes, an ash bed, ritual or observance (niyama) of laughter (hasita), song (gita), dance (nrtya), pronunciation of huduk (huddakara), bowing (and maskara), sighing. (japya), singing (japa) and circumambulation (pradakshina). Technically, these processes are part of the Pasupata Vrata or Mahavrata (the great oath).
Dvaras are doors, or holes, in which a person removes bad karma and allows good karma to flow. It is based on the belief that if you can get others to criticize or reject you, their good karma will flow to you, and your bad karma will flow to them.
Therefore, dvaras include many activities that fans are advised to perform in public as part of their regrets in order to attract social rejection and rejection such as sleep deprivation (krathana), tremor behavior (spandana), lameness of the injured person (mandana), unclean behavior (sringarana) ), nonsense (avitad bhasana) and so on.
5. Dukhanta
The purpose of Pasupata Vrata is freedom or the end of suffering (dukkha + anta). Dukhanta does not mean the end of suffering alone. It encompasses the realization of the Supreme Shiva (Paramaisvarya) as an important personal nature. The fruit of freedom is not solitude (Kaivalya) as in other schools, but alliance or alliance with the supreme Shiva Empire, maintaining independence and personal freedom.
Dukhanta is of two kinds, Anatmaka (physical or material and Satmaka (spiritual). Anatmaka refers to the complete end of all pain and suffering (both physical and mental). of the supreme throne.
Drksaktis are the five senses of comprehensive knowledge in both the deep and the hidden through the extra-sensory perception namely drk (seeing) sravana (listening), manana (thinking), vijnana (consultation) and sarvajnatva ( science of the universe). The Kriyasakti is threefold, the power to perform any task immediately with mere thought (manojavita), the power to control any kind of will (kamarupitva), and the power to do or know anything except any organ (vikarna dharmitva).
When an expert reaches these two types of energy, ten marks of siddi (supernatural power) appear to him. The Ten Sides are, indasyatva (indomitable), anavesyatva (invulnerability), avadhyatva (inviolability), abhayatva (fear), aksayatva (immortality), ajaratva (immutable), amaratva (immortality), apratighata (invincible), mahattva infallibility)) and patitva (sovereignty). Those who attain this power (siddhesvaras) are always associated with Shiva, sharing his beauty and majesty, but they are always completely free from his control and authority. He has all the power of Shiva except that of nature and he is eternal, enjoying his identity and relationship with him.
The Pasupata Vrata
One of the most popular rituals or sectarian punishments was Pasupata Vrata or Pasupata Vow, which was a preparation and a reformatory to its effect and significance. It is a lifelong pledge, perhaps the longest, which remains in effect until the one seeking freedom finds freedom and loses the body. Therefore, it is also known as the Great Oath (Mahavrata).
The first stage
The vrata had to be viewed in different categories. Its main purpose was to purify itself and achieve unity with Rudra (Rudra sayujyam). In the first stage, which was called the token (vyakta), the aspirant had to sit in the temple of Siva and keep certain vows, wearing sectarian symbols, covering his body with ashes from the burial pit, lying on it, clothed. flowers collected in the image of Shiva and washed with sand rather than water. He should worship Shiva with one unified devotion to the six Deeds of Worship (upahara): laughter, dancing, singing, chanting huduk (or dumdum), reverence (and maskara) and sacred singing (Japanese). All of this would be done by other Pasupatas. ”
The second stage
In the second stage called the unmarked stage (avyakta) the aspirant had to leave the temple, discard the divisive marks of his sect and the company of other Pasupata and do his best to incite public outrage to attract their attention. six questionable methods called Dara or departments. These are, krathana (snoring or pretending to be asleep), spandana (moving the body as if suffering from a respiratory ailment), mandana (walking as if paralyzed), sringarana (making romantic gestures in front of women.), I -avitatkarana (pretending to have no judgment) and avitadbhasana (meaning absurd or contradictory words). ” As mentioned earlier, they created a way for the good of those who were badly affected by his bad karma.
The third stage
The third stage is known as the triumphal process (jaya) in which he had to gain victory over his mind and senses. Thus, he had to withdraw from the cave or desert and meditate on Panchakshari and Pranava (Aum) until his mind was completely settled and focused on Shiva and his ego, attachments and deceptions were burned in the fiery furnace. hardness. The practices here are similar to those practiced in several groups including ancient yoga namely withdrawal (pratyahara), breath control (pranayama), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), controlled meditation (samyama) and self-control (samadhi).
Forth and Final Sections
In the fourth stage, known as the Cutting Stage (cheda), he had to cut off all the remaining ties and attachments separately and become a real dumpster. When his rejection was complete and his meditation became more complex and natural, he entered the final stage, known as the Cessation Stage (nishta).
At that stage, he had to retire from the nursery and sit there thinking about Shiva, life and death in order to cultivate some abhorrence of mortal life. He must abide only in the grace of the opportunity of creation and the grace of Shiva and avoid all kinds of hard work until he dies and attains unity with Rudra Shiva (rudra sayujyam). In the final stage he has to take refuge in Shiva only and stay focused on him until the end.
Thus, in the Pasupata system, Dukhanta is doubled, the end of suffering and the attainment of the highest form of Shiva without extinguishing the Self. The Self remains even after liberation as an independent, all-knowing organization, capturing the same wisdom and power of Shiva and intelligently connected to it. Therefore, the Pasupata system is known as the bed-abeda, which means different but different.
Ghanaians and Pentadans
The various stages of freedom in the Pasupata Vrata are organized into eight groups of five (vidi) practices that make Vrata orderly, orderly, balanced and successful. Eight pentados (five groups) were mentioned in Ganakarika of Haradattacharya. The teacher of the program had to be an expert on all of them to be able to direct his followers in a non-judgmental way.
Ganakarika describes the system as follows. “But there are eight pentads that need to be identified with the team, one with three features. The one who knows these nine combinations purifies himself, the spiritual guide. The eight pentads are: achievements, impurities, resources, locations, patience, purification, initiation, and power by the eight pentads. Then there are three jobs. ”
Areas are important because the remaining seven pentados must be practiced in the five areas mentioned in the plan in the different stages of Vrata. In his book, Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha, Madhava Acharya, describes eight groups and their pentads as follows.
1. Five Abbreviations (lab): Gain is the fruit of the third pentad (the right things) while awareness. The five benefits that come from the third pentature are knowledge, regret, physical strength (count), consistency and purity. Information according to the Pasupata system information Nyaya-sutras.
2. The five uncleanness: Uncleanness is a serious condition of the soul. They are obstacles that need to be removed in order to unite the soul with Rudra. The five filth is lying, contempt, attachment, passion, and falling. The three filth is selfishness, attachment and deception.
3. Five practical steps: These are ways to cleanse and prepare the one who seeks freedom. The five most useful methods are, the use of a living space, sacred sighing, meditation, constant recollection of Rudra, and fear. With their practice, you get five points mentioned in the first pentad.
4. Five Areas: A place is a place where the seeker has the opportunity to develop his knowledge and perfect his habit after knowing eight pentados. The Mahavrata is a straightforward place. Five designated locations in the retention system are spiritual teachers, cave, special area, funeral home and Rudra only.
5. Five ways to be patient or consistent: Patience refers to perseverance in making pentads until the expected perfection or set goals are achieved. The five ways of patience are, (meditation) for the separated, (meditation) indifference, humming (prayers or words mean words), acceptance (or devotion) and devotion.
6. Purification five: Purification refers to the purification of the state of slavery by removing once and for all the false reasonings and impurities that bind the soul to the cycle of birth and death. The fivefold purification refers to the removal of ignorance, contempt, attachment, passion and fall.
7. Five initiates: Refers to the five ways to begin to regret or continue the spiritual journey to attaining perfection in all eight processes. The five implementation should be considered in terms of (practical) materials, timing, culture, image and air guide.
8. Five forces: Power (siddhis) refers to the ability of a person who wants to control his mind and body and achieve perfection along the way. Five strengths, dedication to the teacher, clear understanding, overcoming joy and pain, good karma and awareness or attention. They eventually lead to the capture of supernatural forces that we have described as beore.
The interactions between the five stages of freedom and the eight pentados are shown below in the following table:
Relationship with God
Although Pasupata is a theistic system that emphasizes devotion and devotion, it is very different from other theistic traditions, especially those in Vaishnavism. The sect does not believe in serving God or in the form of a slave king and relationship with him because it views all creatures as Shiva only. Their mere presence in a state of enslavement and ignorance does not diminish their essential deities or take them as slaves (dasas). It therefore promotes a spirit of independence rather than relying on the path of freedom, arguing that true freedom is not possible if one is dependent on anything other than oneself.
Another important difference is that the Pasupata program aims to gain full freedom from working and meeting Shiva rather than gaining separation or being alone (kaivalya). Its emphasis is not only on gaining a good fit for each individual’s effort to overcome sinful karma but also on cultivating devotion and being close to Shiva to gain his favor so that the chances of success are doubled.
This program is also unique in that it does not focus on finding a place in heaven. Pasupata do not believe in the immortality of the soul in heaven or in the spirit realm, nor do they believe in the immortality of the soul. Emphasis is placed on achieving closer to Shiva by gaining His favor because souls live in the world of Shiva according to His will and happiness than their karma.
Those who attain liberty live in his presence forever as they are forever connected to him through their wisdom and remain free. Despite such relationships, they are not bound even by Shiva because they are fully independent like him, given all knowledge and great power. Therefore, in the Pasupata system, there is no knowledge or karma responsible for the birth or rebirth of emotional beings. It is always the will of Shiva that determines the destiny of man (Vidhi). His will cannot be broken, and nothing can happen without it.
Treatment of women
Like many different sects of historic India, consisting of the ones of Buddhism and Jainism, the Pasupata faculty did now no longer to begin with admit ladies into their fold. Initiates into the sect have been barred from speakme to ladies. This changed into evaluation to the latter-day Tantra traditions of Shaivism wherein ladies, specifically Yogins performed an essential position and took part in lots of esoteric rituals. Besides, the sect positioned a exceptional emphasis upon celibacy and rigorous self-discipline. Women have been taken into consideration a chief distraction.
The Pasupata Sutra does now no longer understand their eligibility for admission into the sect. In this, it changed into now no longer on my own. Most ascetic sects of historic India have been predominantly male oriented. Indian society itself did now no longer to begin with don’t forget the liberation of ladies as essential as that of men. The Vedic Varnashrama Dharma did now no longer observe to them. Hence, there has been no provision for them to are seeking for liberation thru ascetic means. Instead, the regulation books recommended that ladies had a ethical and religious duty to serve dutifully their husbands, elders withinside the own circle of relatives and developing kids, and their honor and standing depended upon it. Abandoning the own circle of relatives and kids for the egocentric reason of renunciation changed into taken into consideration a sin.
Further, the techniques practiced with the aid of using the sect have been such that they robotically precluded ladies from becoming a member of it. The sect demanded rigorous austerities and whole isolation from worldly life, which have been hard for ladies to practice. It could were extraordinarily hard for them to take a look at the Pasupata Vrata with none spoil because of the troubles resulting from mensuration and the overall regulations imposed upon them with the aid of using way of life in regards to their access into funeral grounds or participation withinside the funeral rituals. It could have additionally been hard for them to wander on my own searching for alms, stay in secluded locations now no longer take water baths or go to the funeral grounds.
Pasupatas and the caste system
The mindset of the sect closer to the Hindu caste machine appears to be conflicting and evolved, or it turned into now no longer uniform. The sect regarded to have first of all originated as a sect for Brahman homeowners as a component or extension in their Sanyasa Ashrama. According to Gavin Flood, “The Pasupata ascetic needed to be a Brahmana and needed to be celibate (Brahmacharya), aleven though he turned into nonetheless disapproved of and rebuked via way of means of a few Vedic, Smarta texts along with Kurma-Purana. The Pasupatas appear to had been very lots on the threshold of orthodox householder’s society, going past the 4 degrees (asrama) to the fifth, “perfected stage” (siddha ashrama) and spurning Vedic householder injunctions on purity and own circle of relatives lifestyles. Yet, not like many different Saiva businesses, the Pasupata by no means absolutely deserted or explicitly rejected Vedic values, wishing to peer his way of life as in a few experience the end result and achievement of vedic lifestyles instead of its rejection. “
It is feasible that the sect turned into first of all a Vedic reaction to the non-Vedic sects of Shaivism or the ones which adversarial the orthodox caste machine which granted unique privileges to the top castes on the price of others. The role would possibly have modified over the years because of the modifications withinside the Indian social and political milieu. In this regard, Prof. B.S. Chandrababu states, “Pasupatas had been the primary to throw all their caste obstacles and remember identical popularity to all and additionally they had been the primary Indian sect to the touch a campaign in opposition to caste businesses and the anomalies which it produced.” The identical creator indicates that spiritual contention prevailed withinside the Pallava u . s . a . amongst Buddhists, Jains, Kapalikas and Pasupatas. “Further even a number of the saiva sects, the Kapalikas and Pasupatas had been now no longer friendly.”
In all fairness, we may also nation that in some unspecified time in the future the Pasupatas comfortable their caste regulations to boom their numbers or to be in conformity with the practices of different ascetic sects, which admitted human beings of all backgrounds so long as they had been deemed suit for initiation in different respects. The converting mindset is likewise meditated withinside the phrases of Acharya Haribhadra (960 A.D.) and Rajasekhara Suri (1348), who said of their works that all and sundry no matter their caste or gender should obtain salvation if she or he turned into initiated into the course and persevered the exercise for 12 years. The precept turned into sooner or later carried ahead via way of means of the Vira Saiva sect to its severe, which castigated the caste machine and admitted human beings of all backgrounds.
Conclusion
The Pasupata machine turned into one of the maximum practical, down-to-earth philosophies of historical India, wherein the emphasis turned into upon neither blind perception nor inflexible dogma however upon private exercise to at once validate its important tenets thru direct experience (pratyaksanubhava). From the time is the aspirant turned into initiated and till he carried out liberation, he turned into obliged to stay firmly engaged in exercise.
The sect pursued clear, measurable goals. They observed a completely elaborate, systematic procedure (vidhi) to examine the Pasupata Vrata, the usage of the Eight fivefold practices to attain the aim of liberation. The know-how supplied the lecturers to check the development in their disciples in specific degrees of the penance and supply them suitable steerage and advice.
There turned into much less scope for the practitioners to depend on natural religion or be afflicted by ambiguity for the reason that machine honestly laid out in relatable phrases the powers one gained, the character of focus that manifested and the connection with Shiva once they carried out liberation. They served as recognizable milestones withinside the machine for the lecturers as properly aspirants at the course to gauze their development.
For the Pasupata sect, Shiva turned into neither a idea nor photograph nor idea. He turned into an eternal, verifiable reality, who may be in my opinion attained and at once skilled thru self-transformation and austere effort. The machine would possibly have prescribed severe techniques which had been distasteful to the civilized world, however they had been intended to interrupt the conditioning and routine mind and conduct of the aspirants so they may be let loose from the maintain of authority, society and conformity.
True liberation starts with liberation from all outside influences, limitations, reasons and controls. To attain that austere and sacred end, one wished a complete technique to destabilize the entire persona and shake off entrenched illusions and fake ideals in order that it may be rebuilt or restructured for lots better wisdom, know-how and focus.
