12 #Jyotirlinga #Temples#India

A Jyotirlinga or Jyotirling or Jyotirlingam (Sanskrit: ज्योतिर्लिङ्ग) are shrines where Lord Shiva, is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam. ‘Jyothi’ means ‘Radiance’ and Lingam, the Shiva Lingam-‘the mark or sign’ of The Almighty or the phallus symbol. Jyotir Lingam means the The Radiant sign of The Almighty. There are twelve traditional Jyotirlinga shrines in India.. These are considered to be very scared and powerful places of worship. India is a country with thousand race, the land of thousands beliefs and the abode of a million Gods. The most important pilgrim centres particularly for the Shaivities are 12 Jyotirlingas.Reference of these Jyotirlingas is also 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 ? light. Even today devotees are said to have got his darshan in the form of jyoti at these places. The 12 jyotirlinga shrines, popularly known as the Dwadasa Jyotirlinga shrines are considered to be very holy by the Hindus. The Jyotirlinga temples have a rich tradition and each temple has a legend attached to it. They are situated in different parts of India. 

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 Conversion

“Saurashtre Somanathamcha Srisaile Mallikarjunam|

Ujjayinya Mahakalam Omkaramamaleswaram ||

Paralyam Vaidyanathancha Dakinyam Bheema Shankaram |

Setu Bandhethu Ramesam, Nagesam Darukavane||

Varanasyantu Vishwesam Tryambakam Gautameethate|

Himalayetu Kedaaram, Ghrishnesamcha shivaalaye||

Etani jyotirlingani, Saayam Praatah Patennarah|

Sapta Janma Kritam pApam, Smaranena Vinashyati||”

The 12 Jyotirlinga temples are the following :-

Somnath Jyotirlinga Shrine

Mallikaarjun Mahadeva Temple

Mahakaleshwar Temple

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Rameshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Tryambakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Baijnath (Vaidhyanath) Jyotirlinga Temple

Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Temple