Why did the Indus Valley people worship Pashupati?

One of the most interesting archaeological discoveries from the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) is the Pashupati seal, a steatite artifact excavated at Mohenjo-Daro depicting a horned, four-legged determine surrounded with the aid of animals. First recognized through British archaeologist John Marshall in 1931, this seal has sparked decades of debate: become this deity an early shape of Shiva as Pashupati (lord of beasts), or an awesome Indus god later absorbed into Hinduism? The worship of this Proto-Shiva determines suggests a deep connection among ivc spirituality and later Hindu traditions, but the reasons in the back of this veneration continue to be a captivating thriller.

The seal (dated c. 2000–2500 BCE) suggests a 3-faced, horned deity seated in a yogic posture similar to the Mulabandhasana, with arms embellished with bangles and a headdress of buffalo-like horns. Surrounding him are 4 animals—an elephant, tiger, rhinoceros, and buffalo—even as two antelope-like creatures appear below his throne. A few interpretations endorse a fifth animal (perhaps a bull) become also becomes part of the iconography.

• John Marshall’s idea (1931): he diagnosed the discern as a proto-shiva, linking it to the later Hindu god’s roles as mahayogi (excellent ascetic) and pashupati (lord of animals).
• Alternative views: a few students argue the discern may want to represent a shaman, a fertility god, or maybe a female deity (because of bangles and facial features).
• Yogic connection: the posture suggests early meditative practices, in all likelihood linking IVC spirituality to later yoga and tantra traditions.

The identity pashupati (Sanskrit: “Pashupati”) interprets to “lord of beasts,” indicating a deity related to wildlife, searching, and domestication. Several theories give an explanation for why this concept turned into considerable to the Indian people:

• The IVC emerged from advanced Neolithic cultures that depended on searching and herding. A deity controlling animals might have been crucial for survival.
• The bull (seen in other seals) was valuable to agriculture and fertility, possibly linking Pashupati to virility and prosperity.

• In later Hinduism, Shiva as Pashupati represents the balance between destruction and creation. The animals on the seal might also characterize exclusive forces of nature beneath divine control.
• The elephant (energy), tiger (ferocity), buffalo (demise in later myths), and rhino (untamed energy) may want to constitute chaotic forces tamed via divinity.

• The Rigveda (c. 1500 BCE) mentions Rudra, a fierce god later merged with Shiva. Some pupils suggest Pashupati changed into an Indus precursor to Rudra-Shiva.
• But, the IVC script remains undeciphered, leaving room for debate—was this deity truly Shiva, or a distinct god whose worship dwindled?

Beyond the seal, other Indus Unearths Hint at animal-connected spirituality:

• Bull imagery: Several seals depict bulls, particularly the unicorn bull, likely a sacred image.
• Horned deities: terracotta figurines with horns advocate ritualistic or divine institutions.
• Fire altars (Kalibangan): a few sites have fireplace pits resembling later Hindu yajna rituals, possibly related to early Shiva worship.

The Pashupati-Shiva link is strengthened by later traditions:

• In the Mahabharata, Shiva is called Pashupati, the lord of creatures.
• The Nataraja (cosmic dancer) iconography echoes the IVC seal’s dynamic posture.
• Yogic practices in IVC may also have developed into Hindu Shaiva asceticism.

The worship of Pashupati in the Indus Valley indicates a deeply rooted spiritual connection between India’s earliest civilization and later Hinduism. Whether this determine became Shiva’s ancestor, a shamanic deity, or a forgotten god, his imagery reflects the IVC’s concord with nature, reverence for animals, and meditative traditions. At the same time as a lot stays unknown because of the undeciphered script, the Pashupati seal remains an effective symbol of India’s unbroken religious evolution from the Indus Valley to Modern Hinduism.