Pashupatinath - Vatsala Shrine

This little open shrine dedicated to the goddess Vatsala is thought to be the remnant of a temple which occupied the site as recently as the last century. The image dates from the 12th c. Vatsala is an aspect of Parvati whom Pashupati himself accorded a position close to him.

The need first to bathe in the Bagmati and then to worship Vatsala before entering the Pashupatinath Temple is a recurrent theme in many legends. Although Vatsala means "tender" or "caring", human sacrifices were still being made to the goddess in the reign of King Shiva Deva Varman.

Also in the shrine is a 7th c. image of a female deity associated with Lakshmi. The figure stands on a tortoise, vehicle of the river goddess Yamuna.