One of the most famous religious spots for the Lord Shiva followers is Pashupatinath Temple Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh. Devotees all around the world visit this place and try to have a glimpse of the idol of the deity. Built in 1962, the temple has huge idol of the deity. The name of the person, who established it, is still a mystery, but we know that a laundry person discovered the Shiva Linga.
Cultural And Spiritual Value:
Pashupatinath is the incarnation of Lord Shiva. People gather here, to celebrate the Shivaratri, which is famous mainly among women. The day, on which Lord Shiva and Parvati got married, is celebrated as Shivaratri. As the Lord is known for his love and devotion towards his wife, women offer their prayers, to Shiva, so that they can be blessed with loving husbands. The deity is offered flowers, sweets, and cow milk. On the day of Shivaratri, people decorate the temple with lights and flowers and cow milk is poured on the deity. You can feel peoples’ faith and devotion around you when you enter the temple.
The Presiding Deity
This Pashupatinath Temple Mandsaur is famous for the idol of the deity. It is a Shivalinga, with eight faces of Shiva carved on that. The brown colored idol has four sides and thus, the temple has four windows for the visitors. People say that the deity is awakened, and if you wish for anything with faith in your heart, it will become true. While worshipping, the people chant, Har Har Mahadev, Jay Sri Pashupatinath, and Om Namah Shivaya. As the temple is built on the river bank, the temple has its Jalabhisek that means water bathing by Shivna River.
More About The Deity
If you search Pashupatinath Temple image on the internet, you will find many vivid pictures there. The deity has eight faces; the temple created four windows for the devotees to see the idol. Each side has two faces, and each side indicates particular “rasas”. The east side directs peace and concentration; the west side represents the “Rudra” or the angry form. Something gentle and artistic is represented on the south side, and the north side has hair and snakes. The lower four faces are not the prominent than the upper four faces. The 7.25 feet tall idol’s faces are decorated by sandal and turmeric in the time of Shivaratri.
The Other Shrines:
The temple is built on the bank of the Shivna River. It is 90 feet in length and 30 feet in width. You can find many temples nearby the Pashupatinath Temple. There is no other shrine in the complex, although you can find many idols of God and Goddesses inside the temple. Matta Parvati, Kartikeya, Ganesha, Maa Ganga, Maa Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu are present here. You can find the idol of Nandi Maharaj, to the west of the Pashupatinath idol. The temple is 101 feet tall, and you can find red stones at the entrance.
Ways of Worship:
The temple is quite a prominent one, and famous among the people of Madhya Pradesh. But all the Shiv Bhakta people from the entire India come and visit this temple. Pleasing Lord Shiva is quite easy. You just have to have a mind with honesty and heart full of faith. People offer their prayers to followers, leaves and sweets. You can hear, Om Namah Shivaya and Bum Bum Bhole chant when you enter the temple.
Rituals and Celebrations:
History states, since the era of Rigveda, you can find traces of worshipping Shiva in his Pashupatinath avatar. Pashu means animals, and Pashupati means the Lord of all the living things on earth. People go and visit the Shiv Mandir at the time on 13th or 14th day of Krishna Paksha that means waning moon, of the month of Magh or Phalguna. On this day, people celebrating Shivaratri do the fasting, and vigil Bathing Shiva Linga is a common ritual among Hindus in every part of Indis. People come here to see the bathing which is done in an unusual way. As this temple is built on the river bank, Shivna River overflows and bathed the idol, even the temple is 101 feet high.
Pilgrim Value of The place:
The ardent followers of Lord Shiva are large in numbers. People come to visit the temple every day. As the idol of the deity is beautiful to look at, people are more curious to see the eight heads. Hindus From all over the world come and visit the beautiful temple.