The Enduring Pashupata Legacy Of Nepal

For the uninitiated, Nepal is the land of Mount Everest; for the initiated, Nepal is the land of Sagarmatha. For Nepali, Nepal is the land of Pashupati and the Nepali people are Pashupati's own people. This relation between the Nepali people and Pashupati has been in unbroken existence before the time our ancestors started writing about it. This relation is not merely a folklore, but Vedic wisdom and fact.

The keepers of Pashupati traditions have been hailed as Pashupatas. In that sense, it is only right to call all Nepali people broadly as Pashupatas, with the exception of those who purposely deny Pashupati's existence and role existentially, historically, currently as well as in the future. At the centre of it all is the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu where every monarchy who ruled the land bowed down to. This holds true to those in power today as well. Every Nepali, from the depths of their heart, acknowledges and surrenders to Pashupati. Pashupati's grace and presence are not limited to one temple, but extends to every corner of this land. 

Diverse culture

Nepal is a land of diverse cultures and traditions similar to the geographical diversity of our great nation. Ethnologists have long pointed out the relation cultures and traditions share with their respective geographical exposure through ages. Therefore to the untrained eyes, the cultural traditions of the Himalayas and the Tarai may have little in common. However to a student of Cultural Anthropology, there is little difference in the core. 

At the core of Pashupata life are two words Pashu and Pati conjoined in eternal union. This is the foundational principle of Yoga; two concepts that appear opposite are joined together as an eternal whole. Pashu means the one who is fettered or in bondage while Pati means the one who is unfettered or beyond any bondage. To be a Pashupata means to live in reconciliation of these two seemingly extreme or opposite states. 

Imagine a newborn child; it could be a great scientist or a great administrator in the future, however the newborn would be lost without its loving parents. This is the state of every Pashu; the Pati ensures that a pashu actualises its true being. Pashupata is a dualistic practice in vyavahara or transactional level, but in principle is a non-dualist orthodox system.

Pashupati is the efficient cause of the universe playing the role of the fettered pashus through the power of obscuration while constantly leading to Paramaishwarya. The theology and metaphysics of the Pashupatas, founded on the above, come alive in the linga of Pashupati. Thus anybody who has the darshan of Pashupati are immediately elevated to contemplate upon the higher mysteries of their lives as well as the larger existence, if they choose to do so. This is where the union of the opposites we saw in the beginning becomes possible.

The greatest advantage of the Pashupata system is its simplicity making it equally accessible to every individual irrespective of their social class or status. It is of no wonder then that the Nepali people are recognised the world over for their simplicity. This unassuming feature having its origin in the Pashupata way of life is quickly being lost to the influx of various foreign schools of thoughts. 

Eroding cohesion

Quickly eroding social cohesion, accelerated economic migration, diminishing cultural integrity, increasing substance abuse, reduced mental health, etc are tell-tale signs of how far we have moved away and how fast we are moving away from the system that has given us shape and form. 

A sincere reflection into the current state of our lives can reveal that we have been careless about the Pashupata legacy given to us by our ancestors. It is not too late for us to reclaim it and find our rightful place, as a nation, in the contemporary transnational society. On this Guru Purnima, let us as one nation take the resolution to reclaim our unique identity. Let the world witness us rebuild and re-establish ourselves by reawakening our ancient system. When Pashupati awakens, all shall bow down to this Wisdom. 

(The author is the patron of Dakshineswar Dham, Bhairahawa.)