Shiva Grants the Pāśupatāstra to a Devotee
Shiva can grant the Pāśupatāstra divine missile to any devotee. This is illustrated in the story below which is excerpted from Shiva Purana, section 4, chapter 30.
The most important thing to note in this story is that Shiva grants the Pāśupatāstra to a member of the Vaishya class. Normally one would expect that “divyāstra” be given only to a member of the Brahmin or Kshatriya class. But Shiva does not follow anyone’s expectations, and He can grant the Pāśupatāstra to any of his devotees.
Excerpt from the Shiva Purana section 4, chapter 30:
sūta uvāca |
kadācitsevakastasya rākṣasasya durātmanaḥ |
tadagre suṃdaraṃ rūpaṃ śaṃkarasya dadarśa ha || 1 ||
1) Sūta said:
Once an attendant of the wicked Rākṣasa saw the beautiful form of Śiva in front of him.
tasmai niveditaṃ rājñe rākṣasānāṃ yathārthakam |
sarvaṃ taccaritaṃ tena sakautukamathādbhutam || 2 ||
2) That wonderful incident was truthfully intimated to the king of Rākṣasas.
rājāpi tatra cāgatya rākṣasānāṃ sa dārukaḥ |
vihvalassabalaśśīghraṃ paryapṛcchacca taṃ śivam || 3 ||
3) The king of the Rākṣasas, Dāruka, though very powerful was excited much. He hastened to the Vaiśya and asked him.
dāruka uvāca | kiṃ dhyāyasi hi vaiśya tvaṃ satyaṃ vada mamāgrataḥ | evaṃ sati na mṛtyuste mama vākyaṃ ca nānyathā || 4 ||
4) Dāruka said:
O Vaiśya, what is it that you meditate upon? Tell me the truth. Then you will not die. My words cannot be otherwise.
sūta uvāca | tenoktaṃ ca na jānāmi tacchrutvā kupitasya vai | rākṣasānprerayāmāsa hanyatāṃ rākṣasā ayam || 5 ||
5) Sūta said:
He replied “I do not know.” On hearing it the Rākṣasa was angry. He incited the Rākṣasas — “O Rākṣasas, let him be killed.”
taduktāste tadā haṃtuṃ nānāyudhadharā gatāḥ | drutaṃ taṃ vaiśyaśārdūlaṃ śaṃkarāsaktacetasam || 6 ||
6) Urged by him, they seized various weapons and rushed at the leading Vaiśya whose mind was attached to Śiva, with desire to kill him.
tānāgatāṃstadā dṛṣṭvā bhayavitrastalocanaḥ | śivaṃ sasmāra suprītyā tannāmāni jagau muhuḥ || 7 ||
7) On seeing them come, the Vaiśya remembered Śiva with devotion and repeated his names though his eyes indicated that he was extremely frightened.
vaiśyapatiruvāca | pāhi śaṃkara deveśa pāhi śaṃbho śiveti ca | duṣṭādasmāttrilokeśa khalahanbhaktavatsala || 8 ||
8) The leading Vaiśya said:
O Śiva, save me. O lord of gods, save me. O Śiva, save me now from this wicked Rākṣasa. O lord of the three worlds, O slayer of the wicked, O one favourably disposed towards his devotees.
sarvasvaṃ ca bhavānadya mama deva tvameva hi | tvadadhīnastvadīyo’haṃ tvatprāṇassarvadā prabho || 9 ||
9) O lord, you alone are my entire possession. I belong to you. I am subservient lo you. O lord, my very life is always in you.
sūta uvāca | iti saṃprārthitaśśaṃbhurvivarānnirgatastadā | bhavanenottamenātha caturdvārayutena ca || 10 ||
10) Sūta said:
Thus implored, Śiva appeared out of the crevice with an excellent temple with four doors.
madhyajyotissvarūpaṃ ca śivarūpaṃ tadadbhutam | parivārasamāyuktaṃ dṛṣṭvā cāpūjayatsa vai || 11 ||
11) Seeing in its midst the wonderfully brilliant form of Śiva along with his attendants the Vaiśya worshipped him.
pūjitaśca tadā śaṃbhuḥ prasanno hyabhavat svayam | astraṃ pāśupataṃ nāma dattvā rākṣasapuṃgavān || 12 || jaghāna sopakaraṇāṃstān sarvān sagaṇān drutam | arakṣacca svabhaktaṃ vai duṣṭahā sa hi śaṃkaraḥ || 13 ||
12-13) On being worshipped, Śiva became delighted. He gave him the Pāśupatāstra missile. The Vaiśya immediately slew all the Rākṣasas with all their attendants and adjuncts. Thus Śiva saved his devotee. Indeed Śaṃkara is the slayer of the wicked.
End of excerpt from Shiva Purana.
For an easy way to gain boons from Shiva, you can offer water as described on the Boons Procedure web page.
SOURCES
The complete translation (by JL Shastri, 1950) of the Shiva Purana can be found at: https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english
The Sanskrit text of sectn 4 chapter 30 can be found at: https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-sanskrit/d/doc377785.html
