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8. PHILOSOPHICAL DOCTRINES
203 Maheśvara to the exclusion of any other deity. Further, we have the doctrine of atiyajana or higher sacrifice in contrast to kuyajana or the inferior sacrificial rites of the Vedic religion, so called on account of hiṁsā and other defects inherent in them. The atiyajana is, however, nothing more than the Pāśupata scheme of diseipline comprising the religious practices collectively known as Carya.'
The Pasupatas had, as a matter of fact, no elaborate ritual like that of the Saivas, who had their Agamas, Tantras and Paddhatis dealing with the subject. They worshipped Siva, the lingam or any other image of the god, Vraadhvaja, Sulapāni, Nandi or Mahākāla. An important proviso laid down in the Pasupata Sūtras is that the worshipper should have in view the Dakşiņámūrti of Siva, that is, he should stand on the southern side of the
ng his face towards the north.3 Stress is also laid on the meditation of the Pranava; and the devotee repeats various holy mantras which invoke the different aspects of Maheśvara. The Sadhaka no doubt worships the image of Śiva, but his attention is directed to the incorporeal aspect of the deity. Pāśupata worship is really self-surrender( atidāna) to the Supreme Being, who is without any sense organ, beyond the senses, pervasive and self-existent; who sees without eyes and hears without ears; has no intellect, but has nothing outside the scope of His knowledge; and knows all, but has no knower.'
Somadeva criticiizes the Pāśupatas by pointing out that religious acts are useless without knowledge and faith. He opines that if a man is devoid of knowledge, his action is barren of result: the blind may enjoy the shade of a tree, but not the beauty of its fruits. Further, knowledge is useless in the case of one who is lame, that is, unable to act, and so is action in the case of a blind unbeliever; it is the combination of knowledge, action and faith that leads to the realisation of the summum bonum.“ Somadeva
1 Kaundinga 2. 9 says: meat strata HET: tri rast. C£. 775& gt at ar rada
Kari T raat Bica ATASHET: 11 quoted by Kauņdinya on Pasupata Sutras
2. 20: agaftita 7 2 Kaundinya 2. 15 says: 34fara a ar e all area efTet Freq
न्दनाद्या विधिक्रिया. 3 1. 9. 4 For example, aradara 47 99 H 14 :', 'er :','frutta FH:' '1074731
77','HASHTU 22:. The last mantra sums up the Pasupata conception of God. 5 2. 15, 27. 6 शामहीने क्रिया पुंसि परं नारभते फलम् । तरोग्छायेव किं लभ्या फलश्रीनष्टदृष्टिभिः॥शन पनौ क्रिया चान्धे निःश्रद्धे
arü 697 laat aaff414617ETO | P 271.
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