PASHUPAT VRATA RITUALS CONNECTED WITH SHIVA'S WORSHIP

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One being asked by the sages about the rituals which gives salvation, Vayudeva

told them that by having devotion towards lord Shiva, a man can achieve all the

pleasures of the world and even attain salvation. Vayudeva also told them about

Pashupat Vrata and the benefits derived from it.

The whole Pashupat Vrata is divided into five parts - Kriya, Taipei, Tapa,

Dhyana and Gyan. The Shaiva-dharma is the supreme religion and the rituals

pertaining to it are based on the Shruits and the Smritis. Pashupat Vrata has

been mentioned in the Vedas as the bestower of Supreme knowledge. It also

contains all the eight organs of yoga, which were created by lord Shiva

himself. Lord Shiva is easily pleased if worship is done by this method. The

devotee attains supreme knowledge and becomes liberated from all the bondage's

of this world.

Pashupat Vrata has been mentioned even in the Atharvasheersha Upanishad. It

begins on the full moon day, in the month of Chaitra. It can be performed

anywhere - a Shiva temple, any sacred place of pilgrimage, forest or garden.

A devotee should get up early in the morning, on the thirteenth day of bright

lunar phase (two days preceding the full moon day) and after finishing his

daily duties he should make salutations to his Guru. With the permission of his

guru, the devotee should then put on while coloured clothes and a sacred thread

of the same colour. He should also wear a white garland around his neck and

apply sandal wood paste on his body. He should then sit on the seat made of

Kusha grass and take a vow by holding a Kusha grass in his hand. After this he

should do Havana by offerings articles into the sacred fire. He should observe

a fast for the whole day and break it only in the night by having 'Prasada'.

This ritual should be repeated on the following day but the fast should not be

broken in the night. On the final day, that is full moon day he should repeat

all the rituals and after putting off the fire of the Havana Kunda, he should

smear his body with the ashes. He should then take his bath and put on dear's

skin or bark of the tree. He should also hold a stick and put on a waist band

(Mekhala). After that he should again rinse (Achaman) his mouth and smear ashes

on his body. He should perform the exercise of Ashtanga yoga. Three times in a

day as per the instructions of his guru. This way a man is freed from the

beastly qualities present in him.

Pashupat Vrata can be performed by a devotee as long as he is alive or he can

continue it for twelve years of three years or one year or six months or one

month, or twelve days or three days or even one day. On the completion of

Pashupat Vrata, a devotee should establish a Shiva idol and worship it with all

the sixteen modes of worship. At last he should perform Awaran Pujan and then

worship his guru. Through out the period of fast, a devotee should have fruits

only and he should sleep on the bare land. Pashupat Vrata done in such a way

helps a devotee to attain to the abode of lord Shiva.

Regards

Prasanna Kumar