Pashupatinath Darshan Yatra

The word Pashupatinath is derived from three Sanskrit words “pashu” meaning animal or organism, “pati” meaning husband or protector and “nath” meaning “God”. The word “Shree” is a normal designation. Pashupatinath is hence considered as the protector of all the living organisms.

Pashupatinath is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. It is not known for certain when Pashupatinath Temple was founded. But according to Nepal Mahatmaya and Himvatkhanda,one day Lord Shiva grew tired of his palace atop Mt. Kailash and so went in search of a place where he could escape to. He discovered Kathmandu Valley and, without telling anyone, he ran away from his palace and came to live in the Valley. He gained great fame there as Pashupati, Lord of the Animals, before the other gods discovered his hiding place and came to get him. He disguised himself as a majestic deer and would not help the other gods when they asked for his help. When Shiva did not yield to their appeals, they planned to use force. God Vishnu grabbed him by his horns and they shattered into pieces. Vishnu established a temple and used the broken horns to form a linga on the bank of the Bagmati River. As time went by, the temple was buried and forgotten. Then a cow was known to have secretly sprinkled her milk over the mound. Apparently, when the cow herders dug around the spot, they found the lost lingas and again built a temple in reverence. Pashupatinath is the other popular name of Shiva. Shiva in the form of Rudra was imagined by the early Aryans and later was worshipped in the form of a Linga, a Phallus, The main God or the Linga of Pashupatinath is carved on a blackish stone (a vertical piece of stone) placed in an upward position on a round base with four faces engraved on four sides of the Linga.

Shiva has been worshipped in Nepal from the beginning of the Neolithic civilization in the Kathmandu Valley, with scientific archaeological studies and findings around the temple proving that the god Pashupatinath was worshipped here from about the beginning of the Christian era. From about the 7th century onwards it became the first and foremost temple of Nepal, with kings, aristocrats and the rich offering a great deal of wealth and land in trust to the god, making it one of the richest temples in Nepal. Many temples and stat ues around the temple were added making it a big complex rather than just a temple.

Pashupatinath is the most revered God of Nepal. The temple is the biggest Hindu temple of Lord Shiva located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu. Bagmati is considered as the most sacred place in Nepal the temple regarded as the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, until Nepal was secularized. It is regarded as the most sacred among the temples of Lord Shiva (Pashupati) The temple is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

Believers in Pashupatinath (mainly Hindus) are allowed to enter the temple premises. Non-Hindu visitors are allowed to have a look at the top of hill to the east of the temple & from the other bank of Bagmati River its surroundings.

Pashupatinath Tour Itineary