Pashupati (पशुपति)

Pashupati (पशुपति) is Shiva as Lord of beings or animals, a title with important Shaiva and Nepalese devotional significance. Devotional and narrative traditions especially associate this figure with lordship over living beings, compassion, asceticism and protection. Common iconography may include Shiva iconography, trident, animals and Himalayan temple context. Important related names include Pashupatinath. The exact stories, ritual customs and visual details can differ by text, region and lineage, so descriptions should distinguish widely shared tradition from local interpretation. For a Madhuma reference page, the strongest people-first angle is to explain who Pashupati is, the major stories and symbols, how worship differs across India, important festivals or pilgrimage contexts, and respectful modern practice without presenting devotional belief as historical fact.