By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik - Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist
The Harappan civilisation thrived in the Indus Valley 4,500 years ago, roughly around the time the pyramids were being built in Egypt. It is famous for its grid-like cities. Here, we find a seal of a man sitting in a yogic position, surrounded by wild animals. People have identified him as proto-Shiva and call it the Pashupati seal: Shiva’s form surrounded by wild animals. But, in the Vedas, Pashupati is linked to domestic animals, not wild animals. So, is this Shiva? Or someone else. Few point to the possibility that this could be a Jain image of a Jina, conqueror of all passions.
