Jyothirlinga Temples. Compiled by Dr.SSB Sharma

As per our puranas there are 12 Jyothirlingas across India. Shiva in the form of Jyoti Swarapu exists in all these shrines. They are called as Dwadasa Jyothirlingas.

• There is a sanskrit sloka from Adi Sankaracharya that lists the twelve jyotirlinga temples.

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Location of 12 Jyothirlinga Temples.

Location of 12 Jyothirlinga Temples.• 1. Somanath in Gujarat• 2. Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh• 3. Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh• 4. Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh• 5. Kedaranath in Himalayas, Uttarakhand• 6. Bhimashankar in Dakini, Maharashtra• 7. Vishveshwaranath in Varanasi Kasi, Uttar Pradesh• 8. Triambakeshwar in Nasik, Maharashtra• 9. Vaidyanath in Parali, Jarkhand• 10. Nagehswaranath in Gujarat• 11. Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu• 12. Ghrishneshwar in Maharashtra

Somanath in Gujarat

• Shree Somnath is first among the twelve Aadi Jyotirlings of India. It has a strategic location on the Western coast of India.

Somanath Temple in Gujarat

• Swami Shri Gajananand Saraswatiji, Chairman of Shrimad Aadhya Jagadguru Shankaracharya Vedic Shodh Sansthan, Varanasi suggested that the said first temple was built 7,99,25,105 years ago as derived from the traditions of Prabhas Khand of Skand Puran. Thus, this temple is a perennial source of inspiration for millions of Hindus since time immemorial.

Somanath Temple in Gujarat

The modern temple was reconstructed with the resolve of Sardar Patel who visited the ruins of Somnath temple on November 13 1947. Then President of India,

• Dr. Rajendra Prasad, did the Pran-Pratistha at the existing temple on

11 May 1951.

Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh• Mallikārjuna, also called Śrīśaila,

is located on a mountain on the river Krishna.[7]Śrīśailaṃ, in Kurnool District in Andhra Pradesh enshrines Mallikarjuna in an ancient temple that is architecturally and sculpturally rich.It is one place where Shakti peetha and Jyotirlingam are together.

• Adi Shankaracomposed his Sivananda Lahiri here

Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh

Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

• Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlingam is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is one of the twelve Jyotirlingams, which is the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is centrally located in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. It is also called as Avantika Puri or

Moksha Puri. • The idol is very different with compare to

any other shrines. It is very big shiva lingam. And the kind of decoration always makes us to mesmerise to stay for a long time. If we see the eyes of shiva lingam, as if Mahakal is sitting there and looking us.

Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

• The most famous for Mahakal is Bhasma Harathi which is performed during 4.00 AM every day. It requires prior registration one day before at Ujjain Temple premises.

Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh• Omkareshwar is a beautiful self

manifest (swayambhu) linga. From the Vindhyanchal mountain range in Madhya Pradesh, river Narmada, turns westward and meanders in that direction. The deep wide river looks like it has assimilated into itself all the sins and sorrows of the humans and releasing them from these.

This island and the river are shaped like “OM” and that is how it derives its name.

Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh

Kedaranath in Himalayas, Uttarakhand

• Among the twelve Jyotirlingas of Bhagwan Shankara, the one at Kedarnath is located in the snow-covered area of the Himalayas.

Kedaranath in Himalayas, Uttarakhand

• This JyotirLinga can be visited only during six months in a year. From the month of Vaisakha to Ashwin (Ashwiyaja) is the time when pilgrims can make the journey to this. The rest of the year it is too cold and the Himalayas are covered in snow. Therefore, the Kedarnath temple remains closed for pilgrims.

Bhimashankar in Dakini, Maharashtra

• Bhimashankar Temple is a Jyotirlinga shrine located 50 km northwest of Khed, near Pune, in India. It is located 127 km from Shivaji Nagar in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri hills

Bhimashankar in Dakini, Maharashtra

• River Ganga came jumping down from the Jata (Hair) of Lord Shankar, straight through Swarg (Heaven), to the earth. Bhimamayya is the perspiration of Lord Shankara. The origin of River Bhima is BhimaShankar, which is one of the twelve JyotirLingas

• On the Bhima Shankar mountains, the holy shrine of Bhima Shankar is situated. Although it is a very windy palce, one does not experience any cold winds here.

Vishveshwaranath in Varanasi Kasi, Uttar Pradesh

• Standing on the western bank of India's holiest river Ganges, Varanasi is the oldest surviving city of the world and the cultural capital of India. It is in the heart of this city that there stands in its fullest majesty the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in which is enshrined the Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha

• Shri Vishwanatha Temple is situated amidst the crowded lanes of Varanasi on the banks of the rive Ganga.

Vishveshwaranath in Varanasi Kasi, Uttar Pradesh

• Where the Varana and Asi rivers join the Ganges, a beautiful city was built there in the ancient times. It was named Varanasi. Varanasi, a prime place of pilgrimage, a tribe called kasha used to live. Therefore, Varanasi was also known as Kashi. Near Kashi, Ganga flows in the shape of a bow.

Triambakeshwar in Nasik, Maharashtra

• Trimbakeshwar or Trambakeshwar is an ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Nashik District of Maharashtra state in India. It is 28 km away from main city of Nasik. Trimbakeshwar temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India

Triambakeshwar in Nasik, Maharashtra

• The amazing feature of the Jyotirlinga located at Trimbakeshwar is having three faces symbolizing Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Rudra (Shiva).

Vaidyanath in Parali, Jarkhand

• The mountains and jungles and the rivers, are full of useful medicinal herbs. That is why Parali JyotirLinga is also known as Vaidyanatha.

Vaidyanath in Parali, Jarkhand

• Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga temple, also known as Baba dham and Baidyanath dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in Deoghar of the state of Jharkhand, India.

Nagehswaranath in Gujarat

• Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana (Śatarudra Saṁhitā,Ch.42/2-4, referred as "nagesham darukavane"). Nageshvara is believed as the first Jyotirlinga on the earth.

Nagehswaranath

• There are three major shrines in India which are believed as identical to this Jyotirlinga. Those are the Jageshwar temple near Almora in Uttarakhand state, the Nageshwara temple near Dwaraka in Gujarat state and the Nagnath temple in Aundha in Maharashtra state.

Nageshwar Temple, Dharukavanam, Maharashtra

Nagehswaranath

• The Nageshwara temple near Dwaraka in Gujarat state

Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu• Importance of Rameshwaram

• Taking the Ganga water to Rameshwar, is considered as a very auspicious and pious thing to do after the pilgrimage of the four holy shrines.

Rameshwaram• After taking a holy bath in

Ganga water, the holy water is carried and offered to Lord shiva of Rameshwaram. After this a little sand from here is carried to Ganga and immersed there. Completing this ritual is believed to make one’s pilgrimage complete and successful.

Ghrishneshwar in Maharashtra

• On this holy pilgrimage of the JyotirLingas of Lord Shankara, the last one, with out which the pilgrimage will not be considered as complete, is the twelfth JyotirLinga, of Grishneshwar.

Ghrishneshwar in Maharashtra

It is located about 30 km towards the west

side of Aurangabad in a village called Verul