– Encyclopedia of the Shaivism
While studying from the historical perspective, no specific document can be traced out as regards the construction of the Pashupatinath temple in the beginning. Historians are of the opinion that the temple was initially constructed in the third century B.C. Among the Shivalingas available in Nepal till now, the Shivalinga of Kirateshwar is the oldest one. While contemplating on this fact, it becomes clear that the cult of worshipping the linga has been in vogue in ancient Nepal since the days of Kirata kings. After the days of the Kiratas, the successive kings of Lichchivi and Malla dynasties and the kings of the present Shah dynasty too have paid due respects to this temple of the Pashupatinath.
The Gopalraj Vamshavali mentions that the temple of Pashupatinath was built for the first time by King Supushpadeva of the Lichchivi dynasty in the first century A.D. During the historical period, especially during the regime of King Anshuvarma, the king of Lichchivi dynasty, Pashupatinath was assigned a significant status and was revered as a national deity. This fact is evidenced by the title, ‘blessed by the feet of Lord Pashupatinath’, which King Anshuvarma used before his name, and also by the name ‘Kailashkut’ which he used for his palace in correspondence with the name of Lord Shiva’s abode.
With the passage of time, the temple of Pashupatinath had to face many serious hardships and obstructions. In the year 1349 A.D., Sultan Shamshuddin, the dictatorial ruler of Bengal, made an entry into Kathmandu, the then Nepal. With a view to loot the gold and silver, he demolished the temple of Pashupatinath and broke the holy Lingam of the deity into three pieces. A few years after Shamshuddin’s return, Jaisingh Ramvardhan, Mahamatya of the then King Arjun Malla, reconstructed the temple and erected a new Shivalinga in lieu of the old one. Later on, it was Bhupalendra Malla, the king of Malla dynasty, who renovated the temple in 1754.
While appointing the priests of Pashupatinath, a lot of things are taken into consideration. In accordance with the stipulated ordinances, the candidate for the post of priesthood should be a person devoid of any scars of the stitched wounds. He cannot be a Brahmachari (celibate) or a Sannyasi (monk). The priests are of two kinds: chief priest and ordinary priests. The ordinary priests are to perform their duties as per the chief priest’s instructions. While filling up the vacancy to the post of the chief priest, the tradition is that the senior-most ordinary priest is promoted. The progeny of the priests cannot claim any inheritance in the priesthood. If the priest’s wife dies or he himself succumbs to injury followed by scars of stitched wounds, he has to resign from the post. The priest cannot also acquire Nepalese citizenship so long as he remains in position. The prest should be a Brahmin from Telengana, South India i.e. Andhra, Dravida or Maharashtra. The priests are addressed as Bhattas. These ordinances are applicable equally to the priest of the Basuku Narayan temple within the courtyard of Pashupatinath.
Nothing can be said as regards the question of when and who for the first time started the regular worshiping procedures of the Pashupatinath temple at the initial stage. The Bhasha Vamshavali mentions that in 1199, the Shankaracharya of Amardaka Agni Math in Benaras had paid a visit to Nepal. This Shankaracharya made a tremendous impact on then Nepal, the present Kathmandu valley. It’s he who established the tradition of appointing the priests of the temple from among the Brahmins of South India.
The late historian Dr. Babu Ram Acharya is of the opinion that since Arjuna Malla’s regime, the tradition of bringing the Brahmins of Karnataka, as the priests of the temple, had been in practice. According to him, Jaisingh Ramvardhan, the Mahamatya of Arjuna Malla, reconstructed the temple of Pashupatinath and brought the Brahmins of Karnataka to carry on the worshiping procedures of Pashupatinath.
The tradition of appointing priests from among the South Indian Brahmins had been stopped for a few centuries. During that period, some sannyasins had carried on the worshiping procedures. In 1755 A.D., Jagajjaya Malla, the king of Malla dynasty, brought a South Indian Brahmin named Samba Sadashiva Bhatta and appointed him to the priesthood of the Pashupatinath temple. While appointing the new priest, he had maintained the tradition as was expounded by the Shankaracharya of Amardaka Agni Math. Since that time the tradition of appointing the Brahmins of Telengana (which really in practice is Dakshina Kannada or Brahmins from Karnataka) has been in prevalence. The directives issued by the Shankaracharya as regarding the appointment of the priests are as follows:
Let the Brahmins from Karnataka, Maharashtra or Andhra of the West Vindhyachal belonging to Dravidian clan be appointed or consecrated and then be deployed to the priesthood of Pashupatinath.
The Pashupatinath temple is one of the most prominent Tantric seats of Nepal. The worshiping procedures of this temple are followed under Shaiva Tantra and they are carried on by the priests initiated into the Pashupatastra mantra. As Shaiva Tantras are based on Kaula (hereditary) tradition, it is natural that the priests of this temple should be married one. In many Shaiva temples in India like the Shankaracharya peeths of Kanchi, Sringeri, etc., the priest or pontiff can be a Sannyasin. But this tradition is not applied at Pashupatinath. It is sad that the Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth, had attempted to enter the inner sanctum of this temple sometime back and to propitiate the deity from inside. At that time, the present chief priest Sri Padmanabha Adiga did not permit him to do so because he was not initiated in Kaula tradition.
Long ago, the image of Pashupatinath was claimed to be the image of Ucchishta Bhairava instead of the image of Shiva. At that time, impure things were heaped around the Shivalinga. But this tradition was checked after Adi Shankaracharya’s visit to Nepal.
Numerous accounts narrate that it was Adi Shankaracharya who initiated the tradition of worshiping Pashupatinath by the Brahmins of Southern India. But it was not a task that could possibly be carried on at that time. It was the Shankaracharya of Amardaka Agni Matha, visiting Nepal in 1199, who propagated this tradition. It becomes much more specific and clear f the Lalmohars, the Tadpatras, the Sanads, and the directives expounded by the Shankaracharya, which highlight the procedures and rituals of the temple, are studied.
On a certain occasion, the nation has had to face a serious drought and the deity was invoked in accordance with the Tantric procedures as prescribed in the Lalmohars, Tadpatras, etc. Referring to the effective result brought about by this invocation, Mr. Sanadhya writes: “There was no rainfall in the year 1964. Due to the scarcity of water, all the rivers and ponds were dried up. Consequently, the people had to face the problem of drinking water. Fear and threat were heard from all quarters. A scanty of water was supplied through the government water spouts of Kathmandu. Soldiers were sent to guard water spouts. No one was allowed to fetch more than a pitcher of water the government and the people were utterly helpless. At that crucial juncture, there was no other option than to see refuge in Pashupatinath. After propitiating the blissful deity, they determined to fill the inner sanctum of the temple with water with a view to please the deity. The Bagmati river was completely dry. After replacing the sand from the midst of the river, they finally traced out a small source of water. The devotees lined up from the midst of the Bagmati river to each staircase of the temple, finally reaching the interior court. Passing the copper and brass pitchers from one hand to another, all were engaged in the task of filling the inner sanctum with water. Thousands of devotees extended their helping hands chanting the words – ‘Oh Lord Mahadev, give us water’. As soon as a certain portion of the Shivalinga in the inner sanctum was drowned in water, black clouds were seen in the sky and there was torrential rain. During that night, there was such a heavy rainfall that on the next day, the rivers of Bagmati and Bishnumati were filled up with water, and the suffering of the people ended”.