Pashupatas
The Pashupatas were an ancient Hindu sect, believed to be one of the earliest to worship Shiva as the supreme deity. Their name, derived from “Pashupati” (an epithet of Shiva meaning “Lord of Cattle”), reflects their belief that human souls are like cattle (pashu) and that worshippers are fit for sacrifice. The sect emphasized ascetic practices, including smearing with ashes, meditation, and chanting the syllable “Om”.
Key Aspects:
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Earliest Shaiva Sect: The Pashupata sect is considered one of the earliest, if not the earliest, Shaiva (Shiva-worshiping) sects within Hinduism.
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Pashupati as Supreme: They revered Shiva as Pashupati, the “Lord of Cattle,” and believed he was the root cause of all creation.
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Ascetic Practices: Pashupatas followed rigorous ascetic practices, including smearing their bodies with ashes, meditating, and chanting sacred mantras.
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Five Categories: Their philosophy centered around five categories: cause, effect, union, ritual, and liberation. [ ]
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Dualistic Philosophy: They believed in a dualistic relationship between the individual soul (pashu) and Shiva, where the soul retains its individuality even in a liberated state.
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Influence: The Pashupata movement was influential in South India between the 7th and 14th centuries, and their practices influenced other Shaiva traditions.
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Later Sub-sects: The Pashupata sect gave rise to various sub-sects, including Kapalika and Kalamukha. Practices:
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Bathing in Ashes: A prominent practice was bathing in ashes, signifying purification and renunciation.
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Anti-Social Behavior: Some Pashupata ascetics engaged in seemingly anti-social behaviors to detach themselves from worldly attachments and attract ridicule.
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Worship with Song and Dance: They also engaged in worship through song, dance, and chanting.
Legacy:
- Influenced Yoga: Some scholars believe Pashupata practices may have been precursors to later yoga practices.
- Surviving Mathas: Some Pashupata mathas (religious centers) existed until the late 18th century, such as the Eka Veerambal matha.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pashupata
[2] https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Pashupata_Shaivism
[3] https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Pasupata
[4] https://handwiki.org/wiki/Philosophy:Pashupata_Shaivism
[5] https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/pashupatasutra
[6] https://www.arfjournals.com/image/catalog/Journals%20Papers/JASI/2023/No%201%20(2023)/2_Satendra.pdf
[7] https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/march-1994/1994-03-pashupata-saivism0a/
