शिवार्चनविधिः — देवतानां पाशुपतव्रतप्राप्तिः तथा पशुपाशविमोक्षणम् (अध्याय ८०)
पशूनां च पतिर्यस्मात् तेषां साक्षाद्धि देवताः तस्मात्पाशुपताः प्रोक्तास् तपस्तेपुश् च ते पुनः
paśūnāṃ ca patiryasmāt teṣāṃ sākṣāddhi devatāḥ tasmātpāśupatāḥ proktās tapastepuś ca te punaḥ
Поскольку Он — Пати всех paśu (связанных душ), те самые боги непосредственно пребывают под Его божественностью. Потому их называют «Пашупатами», и они вновь совершили тапас (аскезу) в преданности Ему.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It grounds Linga worship in the Paśupati principle: Shiva as Pati (Lord) of all paśus, making devotion and tapas a direct means to approach the Linga as the manifest sign of that Lordship.
It presents Shiva-tattva as supreme Pati—transcendent yet directly present (sākṣāt) even to the devas—implying that all beings, including gods, stand within His sovereignty and grace.
Tapas (austerity) aligned with the Pāśupata orientation—disciplined devotion aimed at loosening pāśa (bondage) under the guidance of Paśupati.