Pashupatinath temple is one of the incredible, beatific temple, nestled on the banks of the river Bagmati, Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. This sacred temple is dedicated to Pashupatinath, a form of Lord Shiva, literally meaning “the lord of all beings” or “lord of animals.”
Pashupatinath Temple is the very ancient temple in Kathmandu and was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Pashupatinath fulfills the wishes of his dear devotees. Devotees who offer prayers to Pashupatinath will be rewarded greatly and gain material benefits. Financial problems and other crises will be eliminated permanently.
The jyotirlinga enshrined in this temple is said to be the head of Lord Shiva, while the body is said to be in Kedarnath. Hence, pilgrimage to Pashupatinath is complete only after visiting Kedarnath.
Only Hindus are allowed inside the main temple complex, whereas people of other religions must observe the temple from the terrace of the river Bagmati. As a part of veneration to Lord Pashupatinath, leather items like shoes and belts are strictly forbidden inside the temple complex.
Those who die in the Pashupatinath temple will be reborn as humans, regardless of any past actions that have a negative impact on their karma. Here the astrologers use different traditional methods that help them predict the exact day of the death. They use Prashna Kundli, Nakshatra analysis and ashtamangalya prashna.
It is a hodgepodge of artistry, craft, faith, civilization, and chronicles that makes Pashupatinath must-see.
Shiva Linga of Pashupatinath Temple
Inside the garbha griha of the temple, Lord Pashupatinath is worshiped in the form of Shivalinga, has four faces, but the fifth face is invisible, unknown even to seers. Each face is facing different directions. Therefore, this Shivalinga is referred as “Mukhalinga” meaning linga with faces or mukhas.
The five faces of Pashupatinath are Sadyojata facing west, Vamdeva (also known as Uma Maheshwar) facing North, Tatpurusha facing east, Aghora facing south, and Ishana facing the Zenith; representing the Pancha Tattva, five elements of the nature i.e earth, water, air, light and ether. Tiny hands protrude from each face of Shiva linga, the left hand holding a Kamandalu while the right hand holds a rudraksha mala.
There is a shrine for Unmatta Bhairava beside Shivalinga. It is one of the eight forms of Bhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva.
Vedic History of Pashupatinath Temple
In olden times, the gods were usually disguised as animals and used to visit the earth to take rest from their cosmic duty. Once Lord Shiva and Parvati came to earth in disguise as deer. They were wondering in the forest, they were captivated by the beauty of the place and did not want to return to their abode, Kailash. Worried by this, other devatas requested Lord Shiva and Parvati to return to their abode to carry out their responsibilities, but they rejected. It sparked the war between him and other gods. However, during the war in the form of deer, the antlers fell and shattered into four pieces. Thus, this antler was called Chaturmukha Linga (four-faced linga).
At a later point in time, this linga is found to have vanished. This caused quite a commotion among the pilgrims. Later it was found that a particular cow started pouring milk into particular land to fertilize the land. However, this cow did not produce milk in any part of the day or at any location. Amazed by the strange behavior of the cow, people dunged the land where it poured the milk and found out Linga inside the ground. Hence, they constructed a small Shiva temple made of wood, paying homage to Lord Shiva.
Architecture of Pashupatinath Temple
The Pashupatinath temple is a breathtaking example of antique architecture and mystical value. It is built in the Newari style of architecture, giving it a tangible appearance, constructed by King Shupusha of the Lichhavi dynasty. The temple has a square two-storied pagoda, which glimmers from the stretch, standing on the single-tiered platform in an atrium.
Located on the western bank of the river Bagmati, it is a masterpiece of Hindu architecture. It is a cubic construction with four main doors, plated with silver sheets. The pagoda is made of copper with gold plating, and as a glorious insignia, it attracts the devotees to the temple. This majestic temple features a gold pinnacle, known as Gajur, and has two garbhagrihas. While the inner Garbhagriha houses Lord Pashupatinath, the outer area is an open space that resembles a corridor.
The main attraction of the temple complex is the huge golden statue of Nandhi the bull, Lord Shiva’s vehicle in front of the temple. Nandhi is the guardian of Mount Kailash. There are 15 Shiva temples, around 492 temples surrounding the temple premises.
Rituals of Pashupatinath Temple
Bagmati Aarti:
This is the most beautiful, mesmerizing aarti performed on the banks of the river Bagmati, witnessed by the devotees all over the world. It takes place around 6 PM on a regular basis and is similar to Ganga aarti in Varanasi. Archakas offer lighted lamps, fragrant incense, and Vedic hymns with ringing bells as a reverence to Lord Shiva.
Cremation Ghats along Bagmati River:
Gauri Ghat and Arya Ghat are two sacred cremation sites located on the banks of the river Bagmati; the cremation of the dead body takes place to ensure moksha for the departed soul according to Hindu belief. The river water is used to wash the deceased body three times, as it purifies both the body and the soul.
Festivals of Pashupatinath Temple
Shivaratri: This is the grand festival celebrated in the months of February and March. Prayers are offered to Lord Shiva.
Teej Festival: This festival is celebrated by girls and women by singing and dancing in devotion to Lord Shiva. They fast throughout the day, without drinking a drop of water. Girls pray to get an ideal husband like Lord Shiva, while married women pray for the long life of their husband. Among the three types of Teej, Haritalika is a major celebration for the people of Nepal.
Bala Chaturdashi: This festival falls on Marga Krishna Trayodashi to honor the deceased family members. Devotees light the lamp by staying awake the whole night to pray for the salvation of the departed soul, and the next day early in the morning, they take bath in the holy river Bagmati and scatter seven types of grains.
Priest of Pashupatinath Temple
Bhatta and Rajbhandari are the two types of priests who conduct the daily rituals. Bhattas are the priests who can touch the Pashupatinath linga and perform daily pooja. They are highly qualified scholar selected from the state of Karnataka. Whereas Rajbhandari are the attendants of the temple, they are not permitted to touch the linga.
Best Time to Visit Pashupatinath Temple
October to February is the best time to visit the temple, since the weather is cool and pleasant with clear skies at this time of year.
During the time of the Maha Shivaratri festival, which occurs in the month of February or March, is the best time to visit. The temple is decorated in grandeur, with a good aura around the temple. Vedic chants, and ringing bells, makes the place more divine.
Nearby Places to Visit
Boudhnath Stupa: It is one of the largest spherical stupas in the world. The three-dimensional stupa is a massive white structure with a golden spire atop. It represents the mandala design. It contains a bone from Gautama Buddha.
Guhyeshwari Temple: This is Shakti Peetha, dedicated to Goddess Guhyeshwari, it is the place Sati Devi knee fell. The Tantrik way of worship is followed here.
Kanteshwara Temple: Located in Kathmandu, it is dedicated to Lord Pashupati. Also known as Kantawala Temple, it is a replica of Pashupatinath Temple.
Vatsala Devi Temple: Also known as Vatsala Durga Temple. This temple is dedicated to Vatsala Durga.
This temple is in the form of Sri Yantra. Devotees who have the darshan of Vatsala Devi and then have the darshan of Pashupatinath will reach Kailash after their death.
Raja Rajeshwari Temple: It is located on the banks of the river Bagmati. Raja Rajeshwari, along with the Nava Durgas, is worshiped here. Parameshwari killed Tripuradundari, hence popularly known as Mahatripurasundari.
Arya Ghat: This is an open-air cremation ground located on the banks of the Bagmati River.
How to Reach Pashupatinath Temple
If you plan to visit the Pashupatinath Temple and other sacred places, consider taking Tirtha Yatra’s world’s best Muktinath Tour. All arrangements are well taken care of.
If you wish to travel on your own, here are a few options.
By Air: The nearest airport is Tribhuvan International Airport, located in Kathmandu. From here, you can hire a taxi or shuttle services to reach the destination.
By Railway: One can reach any nearest border place in Nepal by using Indian Railways. There is no railway system in Nepal. Either road or airways is preferred.
By Road: The temple is located 5 km to the east of the city center. There are other mode of vehicles like micro buses, tempos, taxis to reach the place.
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