Part 4 - The Twelve Jyotirliṅgas

The Twelve Jyotirliṅga incarnations of the lord in the form of jyotirliṅgas, the cause of diverse sports. The jyotirliṅgas^[1] are—

1. Somanātha in Saurāṣṭra^[2] territory;
2. Malikārjuna on the mountain Śrīśaila^[3],
3. Mahākāla in Ujjain^[4],
4. Amareśvara is Oṃkāra^[5]
5. Māndhatā; Kedāra^[6] on the Himālaya;
6. Bhīmaśaṅkara in the city of Dākinī;^[7]
7. Viśveśvara in the city of Vāraṇāśī;^[8]
8. Tryambaka on the banks of Gautamī;^[9]
9. Vaidyanātha in the cremation ground^[10];
10. Nāgeśa in the forest of Dārukā;^[11]
11. Rāmeśvara in the setubandha^[12]
12. Ghuśmeśvara in the Śiva temple.

Somanātha,^[13] annihilated the distress of the moon. O sage,by worshipping, it dispels the aliments of consumption, Leprosy etc.

The 2^nd incarnation of Śiva Mallikārjuna^[14], on the mountain, Śrīśail, is the bestower of the desires of devotees.

Śiva incarnated himself as Mahākāla^[15] in the city of Ujjayini for the protection of his devotees.

The Demon Dūṣaṇa,^[16] a resident of Ratnamāla, was a defiler of Vedic rites, a hater of Brahmins and destroyer of everyone, when he reached Ujjayinī, the Lord was meditated upon by the sons of the Vedic Brahmins. He reduced the demon to ashes by a mere Huṃkāra. After killing him, on being requested by the gods; lord Mahākāla stayed there in form of Jyotirliṅga. He continues to protect his devotees.

The fourth Incarnation of Śiva the supreme soul, the great lord in Oṃkāra^[17] māndhātā is a bestower of the desire of his devotees.

The fifth great incarnation of Śiva is the kedāreśa. He is stationed in Kedār in the form of Jyotirliṅga.Śiva named Kedāreśvara was worshipped everyday by them. He is the bestower of the desires of the devotees by his sight and worship.The sixth incarnation of Śiva, the great lord named Bhīmaśaṅkara^[18], performed great sports.

He destroyed the demon Bhīma. Lord is killing this wonderfully lusty demon who caused misery to the devotees, the lord saved the devotee Sudakṣiṇa who was the king of Kāmarūpa.

The 7^th incarnation of Śiva the great Lord Viśveśvara^[19] at Kāśī is in the form of the entire cosmic egg. It yields worldly pleasures and salvation.

The 8^th incarnation Tryambaka^[20] of the moon crested lord Śiva made its appearance on the Banks of river Gautamī on being requested by the sage Gautama.

The 9^th incarnation is glorified as Vaidyanātha^[21] . The lord indulging in many sports manifested himself for the sake of Rāvaṇa.

The incarnation of Nāgeśvara^[22] is glorified as the tenth one. The lord manifested himself as the chastiser of the wicked for his devotees.

The incarnation of Śiva is the eleventh one. It was pleasing to Rāma and it was installed by him. The grandeur of Rāmeśvara^[23] in the world was wonderful and incomparable, yielding worldly pleasures and salvation and bestowing the desires of devotees ever. The incarnation of Śiva as Ghuśmeśvara^[24] is the tweleveth wherein the lord indulged in different sports and conferred bliss on Ghuśmā. He is favourably disposed towards his devotees.

saurāṣṭre somanāthaṃ ca śrīśaile malikārjunam,
ujjainyāṃ mahākālaṃ oṃkāraṃmamaleśvaram//
paralyāṃ vaidyanāthaṃ ca ḍākinyāṃ bhīmaśaṅkaram,
setubandhe tu rāmeśaṃ nāgeśaṃ dārukāvane//
vāraṇāsyāṃ tu viśveśaṃ tryambakaṃ gautamī taṭe,
himālaya tu kedāraṃ ghuśmeśaṃ ca śivālaye//
etāni jyotirliṅgāni sayaṃ prataḥ paṭhennaraḥ,
saptajanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ smaraṇena viniśyati//
eteṣāṃ darśanādeva pātakaṃ naiva tiṣṭati/
karmakṣayo bhavetasya yasya yasya tuṣṭo maheśvaraḥ//

The twelve Jyotirliṅgas are somanātha in saurāṣṭra, Malikārjuna in Śrīśaila, Mahākāla in Ujjain Parameśvara in Oṃkāra, Kedāra on the Himavat, BhimaŚaṅkara in Dākinī, Viśveśa in Vārāṇāsī, tryambaka on the bank of the Gautamī,Vaidyanātha in the cremation ground, Nāgeśa in dārukā forest, Rāmeśa at Setubandha and Ghuśmeśa at Śivālaya.^[25] The devotee will recite the names every morning and evening fulfill all types of desires. Who recite them without any desire but with purity of mind will never have rebirth involving residence in the mother’s womb. The devotee is worshipping these; people of all castes get their miseries destroyed in this world.^[26]

The devotee is offering foods of these Jyotirliṅgas shall be taken and others shall be fed with the same. Such acts reduce the all types of sins.^[27]

Thus I have explained to you the series of divine Jyotirliṅgas twelve in number yielding both worldly pleasures and salvation. Devotee reads or listens to this narrative of Jyotirliṅgas becomes free of all types of sins and derives wordly pleasures and salvation.

The devotee reads this always or listens to it devotedly attains all desires and then becomes liberated to be sure.

Concept of Jyotirliṅga in Purāṇas

A Jyotirliṅga or Jyotirliṅgaṃ, is a devotional represention of Hindu god Śiva. The word is a Sanskrit compound of jyotis “radiance” and liṅga. Śiva Mahāpurāṇa mentions 64 original Jyotirliṅga shrines in India, 12 of which are most sacred and they are called the Mahā Jyotirliṅgaṃ (The great jyotirlingas).

It is believed that the religion of lord śiva is the older one than any other religion. According to mythology all the pañcha bhutas (namely, fire,earth,air,water, and sky) being evolved from the five faces of lord Śiva. This religious not being seen but was experienced and made feel by soul was said by Śiva gaṇas. But was experienced and made feel by soul was said by Śiva gaṇas. But as according to the say of saints lord Śiva is considered as the image of lord Śiva. According to

Āgama Śāstra, these are 84 in number. But in this “kaliyuga” is in present times they are being described as 64 types. Among these 64,12 are considered as “jyotirliṅgas” and 5 are “Pañca Mahābhutha liṅgas” which leads to mokṣa to the soul. These are being spread all our India in four sides and being treated grandly and very devotively by all the people of India.

Although there are thousands of Śivaliṅgas, only 12 of those being given importance. Only due to great astrologers and saints this has happened. Also due to these jyotirliṅgas the India is given much priority and importance.

As we seen that many stars and Planets are in motion, from these planets and stars some electromagnetic rays being to be in contact with these 12 jyotirliṅgas. Originally there were believed to be 64 jyotirliṅgas while 12 of them are considered to be very auspicious and holy. Each of the 12 jyotirliṅga sites take the name of the presiding deity, each considered a different manifestation of Śiva. So that even though these are not being established by human they can be forever situated there, as long as this universe was in motion the focus was evolved from these 12 jyotirliṅgas. That is why even through if we touch it we feel unexplained happiness and our mind went in devotion.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Ibid, Vol.3,Ch-2,Śl-2-4

[2]:

Ibid

[3]:

Ibid

[4]:

Ibid

[5]:

Ibid

[6]:

Ibid

[7]:

Ibid

[8]:

Ibid

[9]:

Ibid

[10]:

Ibid

[11]:

Ibid

[12]:

Ibid

[13]:

Ibid,Śloka-6

[14]:

Ibid,Śloka-10

[15]:

Ibid,Śloka-13

[16]:

Ibid,Śloka-14-15

[17]:

Ibid,Śloka-18

[18]:

Ibid,Śloka-27

[19]:

. Ibid,Śloka-30

[20]:

. Ibid,Śloka-34

[21]:

Ibid,Śloka-38

[22]:

. Ibid,Śloka-42

[23]:

Ibid,Śloka-46

[24]:

Ibid,Śloka-52

[25]:

Ibid,Ch-I,Śloka-21-24

[26]:

Ibid,Śloka-26-27

[27]:

Ibid,Śloka-28