Shiva and Pashupata

The sages asked

What is this knowledge of Pashupata? Why is Shiva called Pashupati? Why did Krishna, faultless in deeds, ask Dhoumya's elder brother? Vayu, you who are Shankara's own form, please tell us all this. In the three worlds there is no lord who equals you as a speaker.

Suta said

Hearing the great sages, Prabhanjana remembered Shiva Ishana and began to speak.

Vayu said

Long ago on Mandara, Deva Mahesha, called Shrikantha, spoke of the supreme Pashupata knowledge to Devi. Krishna Vishnu, womb of the universe, asked the same question about the Pashu status of the gods and others and Shiva's status as Pati. And so the sage Upamanyu taught Krishna. I will tell you briefly what he said; listen with attention. Upamanyu was once seated. Vishnu in the form of Krishna bowed to him properly and spoke.

Shri Krishna said

Illustrious one, I wish to hear what Deva told Devi about the divine Pashupata knowledge, and all about his glory. Why is the divinity called Pashupati? Who are called Pashus? What Pasha binds them? How is one freed from it?

Vayu continued

Urged this way by the illustrious one, the great-souled Upamanyu bowed to Deva and Devi and spoke.

Upamanyu said

From Brahma down to the immobile, everything is called Pashu. The lord of the gods, wielder of the trident, holds samsara under his rule. Since Shiva, lord of the gods, is their lord, he is called Pashupati. Pati binds the Pashus in the Pasha of impurity, maya and the rest, and when he is worshipped with devotion, he frees them. The twenty-four tattvas, maya, karma and the gunas are called vishayas, and these are the Pashas that bound living beings. From Brahma down to a blade of grass, Maheshvara binds Pashus with these Pashas. The divinity, who is Pati, makes them do their own tasks. At Mahesha's command Prakriti gives birth to the Buddhi that suits Purusha. Buddhi leads to ego, and ego produces the eleven senses and the five tanmatras. All this happens by the instruction of Shiva, lord of the gods. By Shiva's instruction the tanmatras in order create the five great elements, and by his command the great elements create the physical bodies of embodied beings from Brahma to a blade of grass. Buddhi decides to act, ego holds self-conceit, consciousness perceives and mind makes resolves. The ears and other senses each take in sound and the other objects, and each perceives its own objects and not another's, because of the divinity's divine command and power. The organs of action do their own tasks, each its own and not another's, by Shiva's command. Sound is grasped and words are spoken. Shambhu is the greatest and nothing can cross his command.

He gives space to all the elements, and because of Paramesha's command space is everywhere. By Sharva's command Prabhanjana supports everything, inside and outside the universe, under the names prana and the rest. By Parameshvara's command Agni carries havya to the gods and kavya to the ancestors and does cooking and other work. By his command water gives life to all and does other things. By Vishveshvara's command Vishvambhara always supports the universe, protects the gods, kills asuras and guards the three worlds. By his command Indra became best among the gods, and Varuna always rules the waters, binding with his noose and punishing with his rod. By his command the lord of riches became Indra of the yakshas and gives wealth to beings according to their good deeds. By his command Purusha gives prosperity and eternal knowledge to the very intelligent. By Shiva's instruction Ishana punishes the wicked. Engaged by Shiva, Shesha carries the earth on his head. Hara's fierce, tamasic form is the one known as the destroyer. By Isha's command the four-faced one creates. In many other forms the lord protects, and at the end destroys. By Kalakala's command Vishnu protects the universe, and through his own three forms he creates, keeps and destroys it. All this happens by Hara's instruction. His self is in the universe. In his three forms he creates and preserves, and at the end, as the Destroyer, he destroys all beings. By Kalakala's command time keeps the universe. His three forms shine in the universe. He directs the rain to fall from the sky. By the lord of the gods' instruction Bhanu gives down his rays. He wears Chandra as an ornament, and by his command Chandra nourishes plants, delights beings and gives the gods nectar.

Everything stands by Shankara's command and powers: Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, the two Ashvins, Maruts, sky-travellers, rishis, siddhas, serpents, humans, deer, animals, birds, worms, immobile things, rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, lakes, Vedas and Vedangas, the sacred texts, mantras, stomas, sacrifices, the fire of destruction that ends in Shiva, the worlds and their rulers, the countless cosmic eggs and their coverings, everything past, present and future, the directions and sub-directions, the kalas and other divisions of time, and all that has been seen or heard of in the universe. By his command and powers the earth, mountains, clouds, oceans, hosts of stars, the gods led by Shakra, and the moving and unmoving, sentient and insentient, are established. Krishna, Shambhu's deeds are beyond measure, and what is done by his command is wonderful. I have heard of them in the Upanishads.

Long ago the gods with Indra argued among themselves after defeating the asuras in battle. Each said, "I won." Maheshvara took an excellent form, that of a yaksha, and appeared among them with none of his own auspicious marks visible on his limbs. He set a blade of grass on the ground and asked each god to move it: "Whoever can do this has defeated the daityas." Hearing the yaksha, Shachi's consort, wielder of the vajra, was enraged. He laughed and tried to lift the blade of grass, but could not, though he wanted to. To cut it, the wielder of the vajra then hurled his vajra at it. The vajra seemed to meet vajras from every side, and striking the blade of grass it fell sideways in front of it. Vahni kindled a huge fire. Pavana loosed a mighty wind. The lord of waters made a flood as if dissolution had come. In this way the angry gods tried many things against the blade of grass. Krishna, because of the yaksha's strength all of them were useless. Indra of the gods, angry, asked the yaksha, "Who are you?" and while they watched, he vanished.

At that moment Devi Haimavati appeared in the sky, adorned with divine ornaments, beautiful, with a pleasant smile. Seeing her, the gods led by Shakra were amazed. They bowed and asked her about the yaksha: "Who was this, with the marks of a yaksha?" Smiling, Devi answered: "You cannot perceive him. He makes the wheel of samsara with its moving and unmoving things turn. He makes the universe in the beginning and withdraws it at the end. Nobody controls him; he controls everything." Saying this, Mahadevi vanished from the spot. All the gods were amazed. They bowed to her and left for heaven.