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The R^ig Vedic rudra-sUkta (2.33) says "gR^iNImasi tveShaM rudrasya

nAma", we utter the brilliant name of Rudra. A short hymn called the

vedasArashivastava, attributed to Shankara, glorifies the names of

Shiva and also reveals some of the teachings of advaita.

 

pashUnAM patiM pApanAshaM pareshaM

gajendrasya kR^ittiM vasAnaM vareNyam.h |

jaTAjUTamadhye sphuradgAN^gavAriM

mahAdevamekaM smarAmi smarArim.h || 1 ||

 

I remember the Lord of all beings, the destroyer of all sin,

the supreme Ishvara, who wears the hide of the king of elephants

as an excellent garment, from whose matted locks of hair the waters

of gangA devI are springing forth, who is mahAdeva, the great God,

the enemy of kAma (i.e. the destroyer of lust).

 

The name "pashupati" is fascinating. Let us explore it further.

 

BhaTTa bhAskara, in his commentary on the shrIrudra, quotes the

shruti text defining "pashupati"

 

"yeshhAmIshe pashupatiH pashUnAM chatushhpadAmuta cha dvipadAM"

 

He is Pashupati who is the lord of "pashus" both four-footed

as well as two-footed.

 

In this sense, we humans, are also "pashus", not just the animals.

 

Also, the linga purANa states:

 

brahmAdyAH sthAvarAntAshcha pashavaH parikIrtitAH |

teshhAM patitvAdvishvesho bhavaH pashupatiH smR^itaH ||

 

All beings beginning from BrahmA to the immovables (such as

a clump of grass) are called pashu's. Being the Lord of the

pashu's, Bhava (Shiva), the ruler of the world, is called

Pashupati.

 

The mahAbhArata states:

 

sarvadA yatpashUnpAti taishcha yadramate punaH |

teshhAmadhipatitvAchcha tasmAtpashupatiH smR^itaH ||

 

He sports with the pashu's as He protects them always.

Since He is the Lord of them, He is said to be Pashupati.

 

An explanation of "pashu" and "Pashupati" is also found in the

jAbAlyupanishhad of the sAma veda:

 

(jAbAli says:)

 

pashupatirahaMkArAvishhTaH saMsArI jIvaH |

 

The lord of pashus (Shiva) (acting as if) under

the influence of ahaMkAra (ego, individuality)

is the jIva (individual soul) (revolving) in

worldly existence.

 

sa eva pashuH |

 

That (jIva) is himself a "pashu" (literally animal).

 

sarvaGYaH paJNchakR^ityasaMpannaH

sarveshvara IshaH pashupatiH |

 

The all-knowing Ishvara, the lord of all, and

enodowed with the (power of performing) the five

kinds of actions is called pashupatiH (the lord of

the jIvas or pashus).

 

upanishhad brahma yogin in his commentary quotes the

vArtikakAra :

 

kAraNaM kAryamutpAdya kAryatAmiva gachchhati iti

vArtikakArokteshcha |

 

The cause, having given rise to the effect, seems to

become the effect - so says the vArtikakAra.

 

ke pashava iti punaH sa tamuvAcha ||

 

(PaippalAdi) again asked (jAbAli): Who are the

pashu's?

 

jIvAH pashava uktAH | tatpatitvAt.h pashupatiH ||

 

The jIvas are pashu's. (Shiva) is called pashupati,

being the lord of those (pashu's).

 

sa punastaM hovAcha kathaM jIvAH pashava iti |

kathaM tatpatiriti ||

 

(PaippalAdi) again asked: How are those jIvas

the pashu's?

 

sa tamuvAcha yathA tR^iNAshino vivekahInAH para-

preshhyAH kR^ishhyAdikarmasu niyuktAH sakala-

duHkhasahAH svasvAmibadhyamAnA gavAdayaH pashavaH |

yathA tatsvAmina iva sarvaGYa IshaH pashupatiH ||

 

(jAbAli) replied: Just as animals such as cows

that eat grass, etc., that are devoid of discrimina-

tion, that are driven by others, that are engaged

in occupations such as agriculture, that endure

all kinds of pain and sorrow, and that are bound

by their master, (so are the jIvas, the pashu's).

Just as the master of such animals is "pashupati"

so the all-knowing Ishvara the pashupati of the

jIvas.

 

upanishhad brahma yogin answers the question:

What is pAsha, the chain that binds the pashu's?

 

svAGYAnapAshena badhyanta iti pashavaH

 

Because they are bound by the pAsha (chain) of ignorance of the

Self, they are called pashu's.

 

The name "pApanasha" is also very significant. There is the

saying of YAjnavalkya that is often cited in connection with

the japa of the shatarudrIya:

 

surApaH svarNahArI cha rudrajApI jale sthitaH |

sahasrashIrShAjApI cha muchyate sarvakilbiShaiH ||

 

(Even a sinner such as) one who has drunk liquor or one who

has stolen gold (ie. has committed theft) is released from all

sin if he recites the shrIrudra and puruShasUkta, standing in

the water (of a river, etc.)

 

Further, the jAbAlyupaniShad states that the shrIrudra gives

rise to jnAna (jnAnahetu). In answer to the question "kiM

japyena-amR^itatvamashnute?" (By the japa of what is immortality

attained?), it is said: "shatarudrIyeNa", by the shatarudrIya hymn.

 

maheshaM sureshaM surArAtinAshaM

vibhuM vishvanAthaM vibhUtyaN^gabhUSham.h |

virUpAxamindvarkavahnitrinetraM

sadAnandamIDe prabhuM paJNchavaktram.h || 2 ||

 

I praise the maheshvara, controller of mAyA (vide the shruti, mAyinaM

tu maheshvaram.h), the Lord of gods, who destroys the enemies of

gods, the all-pervading Lord, the Lord of the universe, whose limbs

are decorated with vibhUti, who has three eyes made of the moon,

sun, and fire, who is eternal bliss, and is the five-faced Lord.

 

The panchavaktra being referred to here is really the pancha

Brahman celebrated in the pancharudrIya mantra beginning with

"sadyojAtaM prapadyAmi ...". These five Brahmans are 1) sadyojAta

2) vAmadeva 3) aghora 4) tatpuruSha, and 5) IshAna.

 

Anand