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Aghora Pasupatha Pashupatastra Mantra: Shiva as a mountain hunter, with Uma as a huntress, handing a shining upright arrow to Arjuna kneeling before a clay lingam
Shiva, come as a mountain hunter with Uma, hands Arjuna the Pashupata weapon
Mantra · Shiva's weapon-mantra of peace from Agni Purana chapter 322

Pashupatastra Mantra

वक्ष्ये पाशुपतास्त्रेण शान्तिजापादि पूर्वतः । पादतः पूर्वनाशो हि फडन्तं चापदादिनुत् ॥

Also known as Pashupatastra Stotram

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

Aghora Pasupatha HomamThe Aghora Pasupatha Homam, performed for youBook →

What the Pashupatastra Mantra is

The Pashupatastra Mantra, printed in many collections as the Pashupatastra Stotram, is the weapon-mantra of Shiva as Pashupati, lord of all creatures, and it fills a chapter of the Agni Purana titled Pashupata Shanti, the Pashupata rite of peace. Shiva himself is its speaker, in chapter 322 (321 in an older printing). An opening verse announces the rite. Mantra 1 is a long prose salutation that pictures the deity: fifteen eyes, countless faces, arms and feet, eyes of sun, moon and fire, Vishnu for armour, and the staff of Yama, the noose of Varuna and the trident of Rudra in hand, ending 'Om krishnapingalaya phat'. Mantra 2 calls each weapon by name, from the weapon of the sound Hum to the weapons of Shiva's faces and of Narasimha. Mantra 3 joins 'phat' to single syllables and to the worlds from Bhuh to Tapah, and Mantra 4 ends in doubled commands against every evil. Two verses then state what the recitation is held to accomplish.

Arjuna, the Hunter and Shiva's Weapon

The weapon behind the name enters the epics in the Kirata episode of the Mahabharata's Vana Parva. Arjuna is living on the heights of the Himalaya with his bow Gandiva when a Danava named Muka charges him in the shape of a boar. A mountain hunter, a Kirata, looses an arrow at the same instant, and the two quarrel over the kill. Arjuna's arrows cannot wound the stranger, his sword breaks on the hunter's head, and he is beaten senseless. Coming round, he shapes a clay image of Shiva and garlands it, then sees that same garland on the hunter's crown and knows who stands before him. Shiva, with Uma beside him dressed as a huntress, grants him the Pashupata, which can be released by the mind, the eye, a word or the bow, and warns him never to loose it without due cause, because hurled at a weak foe it could destroy the world. The Drona Parva returns to it: after Arjuna vows to slay Jayadratha, he and Krishna go to Shiva, and Arjuna obtains the weapon once more. The Agni Purana carries the same weapon into ritual instead of war. Its Shaiva chapters set the Pashupata Shanti directly after a peace-rite of the Aghora weapon, and elsewhere the purana has the Mahapashupata recited as a newly consecrated linga is raised into its shrine.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiवक्ष्ये पाशुपतास्त्रेण शान्तिजापादि पूर्वतः । पादतः पूर्वनाशो हि फडन्तं चापदादिनुत् ॥
Tamilவக்ஷ்யே பாஶுபதாஸ்த்ரேண ஶாந்திஜாபாதி பூர்வதஃ । பாததஃ பூர்வநாஶோ ஹி படந்தம் சாபதாதிநுத் ॥
Teluguవక్ష్యే పాశుపతాస్త్రేణ శాన్తిజాపాది పూర్వతః । పాదతః పూర్వనాశో హి ఫడన్తం చాపదాదినుత్ ॥
Kannadaವಕ್ಷ್ಯೇ ಪಾಶುಪತಾಸ್ತ್ರೇಣ ಶಾನ್ತಿಜಾಪಾದಿ ಪೂರ್ವತಃ । ಪಾದತಃ ಪೂರ್ವನಾಶೋ ಹಿ ಫಡನ್ತಂ ಚಾಪದಾದಿನುತ್ ॥
Malayalamവക്ഷ്യേ പാശുപതാസ്ത്രേണ ശാന്തിജാപാദി പൂര്വതഃ । പാദതഃ പൂര്വനാശോ ഹി ഫഡന്തം ചാപദാദിനുത് ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationvakṣye pāśupatāstreṇa śāntijāpādi pūrvataḥ | pādataḥ pūrvanāśo hi phaḍantaṃ cāpadādinut ||
“Ishvara (Shiva) says: Now I shall describe the rite of peace done with the Pashupata weapon-mantra, by recitation and the other acts, in due order. Recited from its first word to its closing 'phat', it removes misfortunes and calamities.”
ॐ
oṃ — Om
नमो
namo — salutation
भगवते
bhagavate — to the Lord
महापाशुपताय
mahāpāśupatāya — to the great Pashupata
अतुलबलवीर्यपराक्रमाय
atulabalavīryaparākramāya — of matchless strength, valour and might
त्रिपञ्चनयनाय
tripañcanayanāya — with fifteen eyes
नानारूपाय
nānārūpāya — of many forms
नानाप्रहरणोद्यताय
nānāpraharaṇodyatāya — raised with many weapons
सर्वाङ्गरक्ताय
sarvāṅgaraktāya — red in every limb
भिन्नाञ्जनचयप्रख्याय
bhinnāñjanacayaprakhyāya — dark as crushed collyrium
श्मशानवेतालप्रियाय
śmaśānavetālapriyāya — fond of the cremation ground and its spirits
सर्वविघ्ननिकृन्तरताय
sarvavighnanikṛntaratāya — intent on cutting down all obstacles
सर्वसिद्धिप्रदाय
sarvasiddhipradāya — giver of every attainment
भक्तानुकम्पिने
bhaktānukampine — compassionate to devotees
असंख्यवक्त्रभुजपादाय
asaṃkhyavaktrabhujapādāya — with countless faces, arms and feet
तस्मिन्सिद्धाय
tasminsiddhāya — to him who is perfected
वेतालवित्रासिने
vetālavitrāsine — who terrifies the vetalas
शाकिनीक्षोभजनकाय
śākinīkṣobhajanakāya — who shakes the shakinis
व्याधिनिग्रहकारिणे
vyādhinigrahakāriṇe — who restrains disease
पापभञ्जनाय
pāpabhañjanāya — breaker of sin
सूर्यसोमाग्निनेत्राय
sūryasomāgninetrāya — whose eyes are sun, moon and fire
विष्णुकवचाय
viṣṇukavacāya — whose armour is Vishnu
खड्गवज्रहस्ताय
khaḍgavajrahastāya — holding sword and thunderbolt
यमदण्डवरुणपाशाय
yamadaṇḍavaruṇapāśāya — with Yama's staff and Varuna's noose
रुद्रशूलाय
rudraśūlāya — with Rudra's trident
ज्वलज्जिह्वाय
jvalajjihvāya — with blazing tongue
सर्वरोगविद्रावणाय
sarvarogavidrāvaṇāya — who drives away all disease
ग्रहनिग्रहकारिणे
grahanigrahakāriṇe — who restrains the planets
दुष्टनागक्षयकारिणे
duṣṭanāgakṣayakāriṇe — destroyer of evil serpents
ॐ
oṃ — Om
कृष्णपिङ्गलाय
kṛṣṇapiṅgalāya — to the dark and tawny one
फट्
phaṭ — phat (the weapon syllable)

Pashupatastra Mantra lyrics in full

The whole chapter is printed: the opening verse, the mantra in four parts and the two closing verses. The printed closing line is given at the end.

All 8 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Pashupatastra Mantra PDFAll 8 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Verse 1

वक्ष्ये पाशुपतास्त्रेण शान्तिजापादि पूर्वतः ।
पादतः पूर्वनाशो हि फडन्तं चापदादिनुत् ॥

Ishvara (Shiva) says: Now I shall describe the rite of peace done with the Pashupata weapon-mantra, by recitation and the other acts, in due order. Recited from its first word to its closing 'phat', it removes misfortunes and calamities.

Mantra 1

ॐ नमो भगवते महापाशुपताय अतुलबलवीर्यपराक्रमाय त्रिपञ्चनयनाय नानारूपाय नानाप्रहरणोद्यताय सर्वाङ्गरक्ताय भिन्नाञ्जनचयप्रख्याय श्मशानवेतालप्रियाय सर्वविघ्ननिकृन्तरताय सर्वसिद्धिप्रदाय भक्तानुकम्पिने असंख्यवक्त्रभुजपादाय तस्मिन्सिद्धाय वेतालवित्रासिने शाकिनीक्षोभजनकाय व्याधिनिग्रहकारिणे पापभञ्जनाय सूर्यसोमाग्निनेत्राय विष्णुकवचाय खड्गवज्रहस्ताय यमदण्डवरुणपाशाय रुद्रशूलाय ज्वलज्जिह्वाय सर्वरोगविद्रावणाय ग्रहनिग्रहकारिणे दुष्टनागक्षयकारिणे ॐ कृष्णपिङ्गलाय फट् ।

Om, salutation to the Lord, the great Pashupata, of matchless strength, valour and might, with fifteen eyes and many forms, raised with many weapons, red in every limb and dark as a heap of crushed collyrium, fond of the cremation ground and its spirits, intent on cutting down every obstacle, giver of every attainment and compassionate to devotees, with countless faces, arms and feet. Salutation to him who is perfected, who terrifies the vetalas, shakes the shakinis, restrains disease and breaks sin, whose eyes are the sun, moon and fire, whose armour is Vishnu, who holds the sword and thunderbolt, Yama's staff, Varuna's noose and Rudra's trident, whose tongue blazes, who drives away all disease, restrains the planets and destroys evil serpents; Om, to the dark and tawny one, phat.

Mantra 2

हूंकारास्त्राय फट् ।
वज्रहस्ताय फट् ।
शक्तये फट् ।
दण्डाय फट् ।
यमाय फट् ।
खड्गाय फट् ।
वारुणाय फट् ।
पाशाय फट् ।
ध्वजाय फट् ।
अङ्कुशाय फट् ।
गदायै फट् ।
कुबेराय फट् ।
त्रिशूलाय फट् ।
मुद्गराय फट् ।
चक्राय फट् ।
पद्माय फट् ।
नागास्त्राय फट् ।
ईशानाय फट् ।
खेटकास्त्राय फट् ।
मुण्डास्त्राय फट् ।
कङ्कालास्त्राय फट् ।
पिच्छिकास्त्राय फट् ।
क्षुरिकास्त्राय फट् ।
ब्रह्मास्त्राय फट् ।
शक्त्यस्त्राय फट् ।
गणास्त्राय फट् ।
पिलिपिच्छास्त्राय फट् ।
गन्धर्वास्त्राय फट् ।
मूर्वास्त्राय फट् ।
दक्षिणास्त्राय फट् ।
वामास्त्राय फट् ।
पश्चिमास्त्राय फट् ।
मन्त्रास्त्राय फट् ।
शाकिन्यस्त्राय फट् ।
योगिन्यस्त्राय फट् ।
दण्डास्त्राय फट् ।
महादण्डास्त्राय फट् ।
नानास्त्राय फट् ।
शिवास्त्राय फट् ।
ईशानास्त्राय फट् ।
पुरुषास्त्राय फट् ।
अघोरास्त्राय फट् ।
सद्योजातास्त्राय फट् ।
हृदयास्त्राय फट् ।
महास्त्राय फट् ।
गरुडास्त्राय फट् ।
राक्षसास्त्राय फट् ।
दानवास्त्राय फट् ।
क्षौं नरसिंहास्त्राय फट् ।
त्वष्ट्रस्त्राय फट् ।
सर्वास्त्राय फट् ।

Each name is called with 'phat', the syllable that drives off harm: the weapon of the sound Hum, the thunderbolt-holder, the spear, the staff, Yama, the sword, Varuna's weapon, the noose, the banner, the goad, the mace, Kubera, the trident, the hammer, the discus and the lotus. Then the weapons of the serpents, of Ishana, the shield, the skull, the skeleton, the feather-whisk, the knife, Brahma, Shakti, the ganas and the other named weapons of the four quarters, of the shakinis and yoginis, of the five faces of Shiva (Ishana, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Sadyojata), of the heart, of Garuda, of the rakshasas and danavas, of Narasimha with the syllable Kshaum, of Tvashtr, and finally the weapon of all weapons.

Mantra 3

नः फट् ।
वः फट् ।
पः फट् ।
फः फट् ।
मः फट् ।
श्री फट् ।
फेः फट् ।
भूः फट् ।
भुवः फट् ।
स्वः फट् ।
महः फट् ।
जनः फट् ।
तपः फट् ।
सर्वलोक फट् ।
सर्वपाताल फट् ।
सर्वतत्त्व फट् ।
सर्वप्राण फट् ।
सर्वनाडी फट् ।
सर्वकारण फट् ।
सर्वदेव फट् ।
ह्रीं फट् ।
श्रीं फट् ।
हूं फट् ।
स्त्रुं फट् ।
स्वां फट् ।
लां फट् ।

Phat is joined to single seed-syllables, then to the worlds Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah, Mahah, Janah and Tapah, then to all worlds, all nether realms, all principles, all life-breaths, all channels of the body, all causes and all gods, and finally to the seed-syllables Hrim, Shrim, Hum, Strum, Svam and Lam.

Mantra 4

वैराग्याय फट् ।
मायास्त्राय फट् ।
कामास्त्राय फट् ।
क्षेत्रपालास्त्राय फट् ।
हूंकारास्त्राय फट् ।
भास्करास्त्राय फट् ।
चन्द्रास्त्राय फट् ।
विघ्नेश्वरास्त्राय फट् ।
ख्रों ख्रौं फट् ।
ह्रौं ह्रों फट् ।
भ्रामय भ्रामय फट् ।
छादय छादय फट् ।
उन्मूलय उन्मूलय फट् ।
त्रासय त्रासय फट् ।
सञ्जीवय सञ्जीवय फट् ।
विद्रावय विद्रावय फट् ।
सर्वदुरितं नाशय नाशय फट् ॥

Phat to dispassion, and to the weapons of Maya, of Kama, of the guardian of the sacred ground, of the sound Hum, of the Sun, of the Moon and of Vighneshvara (Ganesha), with the seed-syllables Khrom Khraum and Hraum Hrom. Whirl them away, cover, uproot, terrify, revive, put to flight - destroy, destroy every evil, phat.

Verse 2

सकृदावर्तनादेव सर्वविघ्नान् विनाशयेत् ।
शतावर्तेन चोत्पातान्रणादौ विजयो भवेत् ॥

The verse says that a single recitation destroys all obstacles, and that a hundred recitations overcome ill omens and bring victory in battle and similar contests.

Verse 3

घृतगुग्गुलुहोमाच्च असाध्यानपि साधयेत् ।
पठनात्सर्वशान्तिः स्याच्छस्त्रापाशुपतस्य च ॥

The verse says that by a fire offering of ghee and guggulu resin one accomplishes even what seems impossible, and that reciting this Pashupata weapon-mantra brings peace in every respect.

Closing

इत्यादिमहापुराणे आग्नेये पाशुपतशान्तिर्नाम द्वाविंशत्यधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः ॥

Thus ends the three hundred and twenty-second chapter, called the Pashupata rite of peace, in the Agni, the first of the great Puranas.

The syllable people get wrong

The word phaṭ, repeated through the whole text, begins with an aspirated p, as in 'uphill', not an f, and ends in a retroflex ṭ made with the tongue tip curled back; say 'puh-hut' run together, never 'fat'.

When the Pashupatastra Mantra is chanted

Weekday. Monday

Questions

It is the chapter called Pashupata Shanti, numbered 322 in the common printing and 321 in an older recension; its closing line names the chapter. It sits in a run of Shaiva rites: the chapter before is a peace-rite of the Aghora weapon, and the one after gives the six-limbed Aghora weapon-mantras. Some printings add a few extra weapon names, such as Vajra and Nairrita, and a line calling the text the Pashupatastra Stotram; the older printings lack them.
Phat is the syllable that marks a weapon-mantra. In the Agni Purana's own rules for mantra limbs, namah, svaha, vaushat, hum and phat close the heart, head, tuft, armour and weapon limbs in that order, so phat belongs to the weapon. The opening verse of this chapter speaks of the mantra as running from its first word to its closing phat, and Mantras 2 to 4 attach phat to every name, syllable and world they call.
No. The Aghora mantra is a Vedic verse of the Taittiriya Aranyaka addressed to the southern face of Shiva, one of the five Pancha Brahma mantras. The Pashupatastra is Puranic prose spoken by Shiva in the Agni Purana. The two are related: Mantra 2 here invokes the weapons of Shiva's faces, Aghora among them, and the Agni Purana places a peace-rite of the Aghora weapon in the chapter just before this one. The Aghora mantra has its own page at /mantra/aghora-mantra/.
The chapter calls itself a shanti, a rite of peace, and its last commands are aimed at 'sarvaduritam', every evil, not at any person. The verse says that one recitation removes obstacles and that a hundred overcome ill omens, a reminder that the text was written with kings and battle in view. In the Mahabharata Shiva warns Arjuna never to release the weapon without due cause. Tradition learns such weapon-mantras from a teacher rather than from a page.
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