Page 45 - Hinduism

According to Pāśupata there are three eternal entities, God (pati), Soul (paśu) and Nature (pāśa). God is the supreme pati or Parameśvara. He is only the instrumental or efficient cause of creation while the atoms are the material cause. The Jīva (soul) is different from Īśvara and matter but is self- conscious. It is like a crystal and assumes the form of that with which it comes in contact. When caught up in pāśa which is made up of ignorance, inertness and desire (ānava, māya and kāmya) it undergoes Saṁsāra like pāśa. When the Jīva contacts Pati it becomes like Him. The Jīva attains mukti by following certain practices which free it of its ignorance etc. Mukti, according to this system, is Śivasārūpya (likeness to Śiva) and not Śivaikya (identity with Śiva). Śiva, it says, is love itself and by His grace (arul), He makes the Jīva free from its impurities. The highest form of jñāna consists in service to Śiva and His devotees. Śaiva and Śakta philosophies are both comprised in Pāśupata. In Śakta, Śakti or Devi (called Caṇdī) is supreme. She is worshipped in three forms. Kāli, Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī. Owing to the love of Śakti, the world emanates from Śiva and merges in Him. By means of jñāna and bhakti, the Jīva attains mukti and becomes one with Śiva. Certain sects of Śaktas engage themselves in non-Vedic practices, like worshipping God in a wine-pot, smearing the body with ashes from the burning ground, etc.
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