[1] The temple, considered one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus, is built on an area of 246 hectares (2,460,000 m2)[2] and includes 518 mini-temples and a main pagoda house.

[7][8][9][10] The main temple priests are, as a tradition, Vedic Dravida Brahmin scholars from Karnataka educated by Śrī Śaṅkarāćārya Dakṣiṇāmnāya Pīṭha, Sringeri.

The temple is considered to be pre-Vedic in its origin[11] and according to Nepal Mahatmaya and Himvatkhanda of Skanda Purana, the deity here gained great fame as Pashupati.

One legend says that Shiva and Parvati took the form of antelopes in the forest on the Bagmati river's east bank.

Centuries later a herdsman found one of his cows showering the earth with milk, and after digging at the site, he discovered the divine linga of Pashupatinath.

According to Gopalraj Aalok Vhat, the temple was built by Prachanda Deva, a Licchavi king.

The current form of the temple was renovated in 1692 CE after the previous structures were affected by termites and earthquakes.

It is one metre high and has faces in four directions, which represent various aspects of Shiva; Sadyojata (also known as Barun), Vamadeva (also known as Ardhanareshwara), Tatpurusha, Aghora, and Ishana (imaginative).

They are the descendants of helper priests brought up by early Bhatts, but were allowed to settle in Kathmandu valley and later assimilated into the existing Newar caste system of Rajbhandari – a high-caste Chathariya/Kshatriya clan of Kashyapa gotra.

The temple security (Armed Police Force Nepal) and the Pashupatinath area development trust are selective regarding who is allowed entry into the inner courtyard.

[26] Buddhists consider the temple complex as sacred, and is associated with numerous mahasiddhas such as Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath, Padmasambhava, Naropa and Tilopa.

The temple area is believed to be the place where Gorakhnath opened up the practices of haṭha yoga to people from all walks of life.

The caves are considered sacred as the site where Naropa received direct teachings from his master Tilopa and had the vision of Vajrayogini.

[29] Naropa was also the main teacher of Marpa, the founder of Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism who brought Vajrayana teachings to Tibet.

[38] After long dissatisfaction and protest by Hindus both in and outside Nepal, the government was forced to reverse its decision and reinstate Bhatta priests.