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A Jyotirlinga is a self-manifested form of Lord Shiva that emerged as a pillar of divine light. According to Hindu scriptures, there are 64 Jyotirlingas, but 12 are considered the most sacred. These 12 sites are spread across India and are revered as powerful centers of divine energy.
The legend of the Jyotirlingas comes from the Shiva maha Purana. Once a divine dispute held between Lord Brahma (the Creator) and Lord Vishnu (the Preserver) as who is the greatest of them .Suddenly, a massive endless pillar of light (Jyoti) appeared in front of them and advised them whoever finds the beginning or the end of this light is declared as the greatest.
Vishnu took the form of a boar (Varaha)and dived deep into the earth to find the bottom. In contrast ,Brahma flew upward on his swan to find the top.After a long search, Vishnu accepted defeat, but Brahma lied that he had reached the top.Shiva disgusted by Brahma’s dishonesty, cursed him that he would never be worshipped in temples.The pillar of light then split into 12 parts, forming the 12 Jyotirlingas across India. In Sanskrit it is actually Lingam which is a both side infinite stretched pillar of light and symbolizes the infiniteness attribute of Lord Shiva.
Twelve Jyotirlingas and their locations are given below in a brief as,
1.Somnath-Gujarat, the first and most ancient Jyotirlinga .It is associated with the Moon God (Chandra), who worshipped Lord Shiva for restoring his brightness.
2.Mallikarjuna-Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh known as Kailash of the South.It is associated with the story of Shiva and Parvati visiting their son Kartikeya after he left his native place Kailash.
3.Mahakaleshwar -Madhya Pradesh,(Ujjain),the only self-manifested (Swayambhu) Jyotirlinga. He is considered the Maharaja of Ujjain.
4.Omkareshwar-Khandwa,Madhya Pradesh, located on an island shaped like 'Om'. It is associated with King Mandhata's devotion.
5. Baidyanath -Parala, Deoghar, Jharkhand, regarded as the doctor. It is associated with Ravana’s devotion to Shiva and believed to have healing powers.
6. Bhimashankar( Maharashtra)Pune- It is associated with Shiva’s battle against the demon Tripurasura.
7.Rameswaram-TamilNadu,(Rameswaram),built by Lord Rama ,One of the most significant Hari-Har khetra.
8.Nageswar-Daruka van,Gujurat,known as "The Protector from Poison".
9.Vishwanath-Kashi, Varanasi, Uttarpradesh ,considered the most sacred Shiva temple.
10.Triyambakeswar-Nashik,Maharashtra,The place where the holy Godavari River originated and associated with the sage Gautama’s penance.
11.Kedarnath-Uttarakhand,Located in the Himalayas, part of the Char Dham pilgrimage.It is believed to be built by the Pandavas from the Mahabharata.
12.Ghrisneswar-Aurangabad,Maharashtra-The smallest and last Jyotirlinga and associated with a devoted woman who restored her husband’s life.
The Benefits of Visiting Jyotirlingas---
- Removes past sins and karmic debts(Sanchit Karma).
- Brings peace, prosperity, and spiritual enlightenment.
- Strengthens devotion and faith in Shiva.
- Grants divine blessings for health, success, and well-being.
The twelve Jyotirlingas are not just temples; they are centers of divine energy. By visiting them one might start a journey towards self-discovery, devotion, and spiritual awakening.
Jyotirlingam stotram
saurāṣṭrē sōmanādhañcha
śrīśailē mallikārjunam ।
ujjayinyāṃ mahākālaṃ
ōṅkārētva māmalēśvaram ॥
parlyāṃ vaidyanādhañcha
ḍhākinyāṃ bhīma śaṅkaram ।
sētubandhētu rāmēśaṃ
nāgēśaṃ dārukāvanē ॥
vāraṇāśyāntu viśvēśaṃ
trayambakaṃ gautamītaṭē ।
himālayētu kēdāraṃ
ghṛṣṇēśantu viśālakē ॥
ētāni jyōtirliṅgāni sāyaṃ prātaḥ paṭhēnnaraḥ ।
sapta janma kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ smaraṇēna vinaśyati ॥
Namah Parvati pataye Har Har Mahadev!
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