# पशुपति (paśupati)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/pashupati

पशुपति (paśupati) is a Sanskrit word meaning lord of animals, an epithet of Rudra or Shiva, of Agni, an epithet of Shiva, of a lexicographer, relating to a scholiast. Its 13 recorded definitions are grouped into 4 contexts, among them An epithet/name of Śiva/Rudra, Herdsman / General Lord of Animals, Name of Human Individuals.

- **Etymology:** E. पशु living creature, and पति the master, the creator, or preserver; or पशु ŚIVA'S attendant, and पति master; or according to one legend, पशु an animal, which every deity acknowledged himself to be before his lord and master ŚIVA, when they solicited him to destroy the Asura TRIPURA — E. paśu living creature, and pati the master, the creator, or preserver; or paśu ŚIVA'S attendant, and pati master; or according to one legend, paśu an animal, which every deity acknowledged himself to be before his lord and master ŚIVA, when they solicited him to destroy the Asura TRIPURA
- **SLP1:** `paSupati`  **IAST:** paśupati  **Devanagari:** पशुपति
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashupati
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/pashupati/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** पाशुपती (pāśupatī)

## Meanings by context

### An epithet/name of Śiva/Rudra (7 definitions)
- 1. Lord of animals. 2. An epithet of Rudra or Shiva.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 611,3] पशु (paśu) — पति (—pati) m. ‘lord of animals’ (or ‘ l° of a servant named Paśu’ or ‘ l° of the soul’, Religious Thought and Life in India, also called ’Brāhmanism and Hindūism,’ by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 89 ), N. of the later Rudra-Śiva or of a similar deity (often associated in the Veda with Bhava, Śarva, Ugra, Rudra, Mahā-deva, Īśāna and others who together with Bhīma are in later times regarded as manifestations of Rudra), Atharva-veda (Title) &c. &c. [ ID=120583 ]
- an epithet of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Śiva, Mahābhārata (Title) &c. (according to one legend every deity acknowledged himself to be a mere पशु (paśu) or animal when entreating Śiva to destroy the Asura Tri-pura) [ ID=120585 ]
- an epithet of Shiva  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पशु (paśu) पति (pati) (paśupati) [Printed book page 520 ] पशु (paśu) पति (pati) (paśupati) m. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) A name of ŚIVA. E. पशु (paśu) living creature, and पति (pati) the master, the creator, or preserver; or पशु (paśu) ŚIVA'S attendant, and पति (pati) master; or according to one legend, पशु (paśu) an animal, which every deity acknowledged himself to be before his lord and master ŚIVA, when they solicited him to destroy the Asura TRIPURA. [ ID=24067 ]
- Shiva  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पशुपति (paśupati) [Printed book page 465-a ] पशु - पति (paśu-pati) ( तिः ) ((tiḥ)) 2. m. Shiva. [ ID=23540 ]
- Shiva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > पशुपति (paśupati) [Printed book page 523-1 ] Paśupati = Śiva, q.v. [ ID=7811 ]
- 1. An epithet of Shiva. 2. A form of Agni.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > पशुपति (paśupati) [Printed book page 2-306 ] Paśupati (I) — fourth name of Śiva; the fifth tanu of Agni; has pacikaśakti; wife Svāhā and son Skanda; 1 hence fire to be kept clean. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Br. II. 10. 80; Vā. 27. 11, 53; 30. 89.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 10. 13 and 45.] [ ID=7705 ]
- 1. Rudra. 2. The presiding deity of fire.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Paśupati (II) — see Rudra; 1 the presiding deity of fire. 2 [ Footnote: 1) M. 154. 485. Vi. I. 8. 6; V. 18. 56.] [ Footnote: 2) M. 162. 9; 265. 40.] [ ID=7706 ]

### Herdsman / General Lord of Animals (3 definitions)
- 1. A herdsman. 2. An epithet of Shiva. 3. Name of a philosopher who propounded the pashupata system of philosophy.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पशुपति (paśupati) [Printed book page 425-32 ] पशु - पति (paśu-pati) m. 1. a herdsman; 2. an epithet of Śiva, Megh. i.36, 56, K.S. vi.95, Bh.V. iv.38; 3. name of a philosopher who propounded the pāśupata system of philosophy. [ ID=21780 ]
- 1. A herdsman. 2. A name of Shiva.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पशु (paśu) पति (pati) (paśupati) [Printed book page 437-a ] पशु (paśu) पति (pati) (paśupati) m. ( - तिः (-tiḥ) ) 1. A herdsman. 2. A name of ŚIVA. E. पशु (paśu) living creature, and पति (pati) the master, the creator, or preserver; or पशु (paśu) SĪVA'S attendant, and पति (pati) master; or according to one legend, पशु (paśu) an animal, which every deity acknowledged himself to be before his lord and master ŚIVA, when they solicited him to destroy the Asura TRIPURĀ. [ ID=24118 ]
- lord of the animals and an epithet of several gods  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पशुपति (paśupati) [Printed book page 308 ] पशुपति (paśupati) m. lord of the animals, E. of sev. gods. [ ID=18622 ]

### Name of Human Individuals (2 definitions)
- of a lexicographer  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a lexicographer [ ID=120586 ]
- relating to a scholiast  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Scholiast &c. [ ID=120587 ]

### An epithet/name of Agni (1 definition)
- of Agni  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Agni.; Taittirīya-saṃhitā (Title); Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (Title) [ ID=120584 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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