Shloka 123

Devanagari script

सर्वथा यत्‌ पशून्‌ पाति तैश्न यद्‌ रमते पुनः । तेषामधिपतिर्यच्च तस्मात्‌ पशुपति: स्मृत:,ये सर्वथा पशुओं (प्राणियों)-का पालन करते और उन्हींके साथ खेला करते हैं तथा उन पशुओंके अधिपति हैं; इसलिये “पशुपति' कहे गये हैं

Transliteration

sarvathā yat paśūn pāti taiś ca yad ramate punaḥ | teṣām adhipatir yat ca tasmāt paśupatiḥ smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: „Er wird als ‚Paśupati‘ in Erinnerung gehalten, weil er die Lebewesen auf jede Weise beschützt, sich erneut an ihrer Nähe erfreut und als ihr Herr und Hüter waltet.“

Word by Word

सर्वथाin every way, always

यत्who/which

पशून्animals, creatures

पातिprotects, tends

तैःwith them

यत्who/which

रमतेsports, delights (with)

पुनःagain; moreover

तेषाम्of those (animals)

अधिपतिःlord, master

यत्who/which

तस्मात्therefore; from that (reason)

पशुपतिःlord of animals (Pashupati)

स्मृतःis called/considered

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Paśupati (epithet of Śiva/Rudra)

paśu (creatures/animals)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True lordship is defined by protection and benevolent guardianship. The epithet ‘Paśupati’ highlights a dharmic model of authority: one who safeguards beings and remains kindly engaged with them is worthy to be called their lord.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa explains the etymological and ethical basis of the title ‘Paśupati’: because the deity (Śiva/Rudra) protects creatures, delights in their company, and presides over them, he is remembered by this name.