These are the twelve ancient pilgrimage centres reference of
which is found in the Shiv Purana. They are called jyotirlingas because Lord
Shiva is said to have revealed himself to his devotees in the form of Jyoti
i.e. light. Even today devotees are said to have got his darshan in the
form of jyoti at these places. These twelve jyotirlingas are:
1. Somnath JyotirLing in Saurashtra (Guj)
2. Mallikarjun jyoptirling in Srisailam (A.P.)
3. Mahakaleshwar jyotirling in Ujjain (M.P.)
4. Omkareshwar jyotirling in Shivpuri / mAmaleswara
(M.P.)
5. Vaidyanath jyotirling in Parali (Mah)
6. Nageswar jyotirling in Darukavanam (Guj)
7. Kedareswar jyotirling in Kedarnath / Himalayas
(Utt)
8. Tryambakeswar jyotirling in Nasik (Mah)
9. Rameshwar jyotirling in Setubandanam / Rameshwaram
(T.N.)
10. Bhimashankar jyotirling in Dakini (Mah)
11. Visweswar jyotirling in Varanasi (U.P.)
12. Ghrishneswar jyotirling in Devasrovar (Mah)
The following sanskrit sloka ( द्वादश
ज्योतिर्लिंग स्तोत्रम्) (Dwadasha Jyotirlingum Strota) describes about
the 12 Jyotirlingas –
सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथं च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम्।
उज्जयिन्यां महाकालमोङ्कारममलेश्वरम्॥
परल्यां
वैद्यनाथं च डाकिन्यां भीमशङ्करम्। सेतुबन्धे तु रामेशं नागेशं दारुकावने॥
वाराणस्यां
तु विश्वेशं त्र्यम्बकं गौतमीतटे। हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये॥
एतानि
ज्योतिर्लिङ्गानि सायं प्रातः पठेन्नरः। सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति॥
एतेशां
दर्शनादेव पातकं नैव तिष्ठति। कर्मक्षयो भवेत्तस्य यस्य तुष्टो महेश्वराः॥:
द्वादश
ज्योतिर्लिंग स्तोत्रम्
English Translation(Literal):-
Somanath in Saurashtra and Mallikarjunam in Shri-Shailam. (सौराष्ट्रे
सोमनाथं च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम्).
Mahakaal in Ujjain and Amleshwar in Omkareshwar. (उज्जयिन्यां
महाकालमोङ्कारममलेश्वरम्).
Vaidyanath in Paralya and Bhimashankaram in Dakniya. (परल्यां
वैद्यनाथं च डाकिन्यां भीमशङ्करम्).
Rameshem (Rameshwaram) in Sethubandh and Nageshem (Nageshwar) in Darauka-Vana.
(सेतुबन्धे
तु रामेशं नागेशं दारुकावने).
Vishwa-Isham (Vishvanath) in Vanarasi and Triambakam at bank of Gautami River.
(वाराणस्यां
तु विश्वेशं त्र्यम्बकं गौतमीतटे)).
Kedar (Kedarnath) in Himalayas and Gushmesh (Gushmeshwar) in Shivalaya
(Shiwar). (। हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये).
One who recites these Jyotirlingas every evening and morning. (एतानि
ज्योतिर्लिङ्गानि सायं प्रातः पठेन्नरः।).
He is relieved of all sins committed in past seven lives.(सप्तजन्मकृतं
पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति)
One who visits these, gets all his wishes fulfilled (एतेशां
दर्शनादेव पातकं नैव तिष्ठति)
and one’s karma gets eliminated as Maheshwara gets satisfied to the worship:(कर्मक्षयो
भवेत्तस्य यस्य तुष्टो महेश्वराः)
The names and the locations of 12 other ‘Jyotirlingas are
mentioned in the Shiva Puran (Śatarudra Saṁhitā,Ch.42/2-4). These
shrines are:
