Twelve Jyotirlingas
Let’s first read the sloka of 12 jyotirlingas.
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SAURASHTRE SOMANAATHAM CHA SHREESHAILE MALLIKARJUNAM
II UJJAYINYAM MAHAKALAM OMKARE AMARESHWARAM II
PARALYAAM VAIDYANAATHAM CHA DAAKINYAM BHIMASHANKARAM
II SETHU BANDHE TU RAAMESHAM NAAGESHAM DAARUKAVANE II
VAARAANASYAANTHU VISHVESHAM TRYAMBAKAM GAUTHAMEETHATE
II HIMALAYE TU KEDAARAM GHRUSHNESHAM CHA SHIVALAYE II
ETAANI JYOTIRLINGAANI SAAYAM PRAATAH PATHENNARAHA II
SAPTHA JANMA KRITAM PAAPAM SMARANENA VINASYATHI II
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The names and the locations of the 12 Jyotirlingas are mentioned in the Shiva Purana.
# | Jyotirlinga | Image | State | Location | Description |
1 | Somnath | * | Gujarat | Prabhas Patan, Saurashtra | Somnath is the first amongst the holy shrines and traditionally, the Dwadash Jyotirlinga pilgrimage begins with the Somnath Temple. It is the prime abode of Lord Shiva and is considered to be holiest of all the Jyotirlingas. The temple was destroyed and re-built six times, is held in reverence throughout India and is rich in legend, tradition, and history. It is located at Prabhas Patan (Somnath - Veraval) in Saurashtra in Gujarat. |
2 | Mallikarjuna | Andhra Pradesh | Srisailam | Mallikarjuna, also called Srisaila, is located on a mountain on the river Krishna.Srisailam, in Kurnool District in Andhra Pradesh enshrines Mallikarjuna in an ancient temple that is architecturally and sculpturally rich. Adi Shankara composed his Sivananda Lahiri | |
3 | Mahakaleshwar | * | Madhya Pradesh | Mahakal, Ujjain | Mahakal, Ujjain (or Avanti) in Madhya Pradesh is home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple. The Lingam at Mahakal is believed to be Swayambhu, the only one of the 12 Jyotirlingams to be so. It is also the only one facing south and also the temple to have a Shree Yantra perched upside down at the ceiling of the Garbhagriha (where the Shiv Lingam sits). |
4 | Omkareshwar | * | Madhya Pradesh | Island in the Narmada River, Omkareshwar | Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh on an island in the Narmada River is home to a Jyotirlinga shrine and the Mamaleshwar temple. |
5 | Kedarnath | * | Uttarakhand | Kedarnath | Kedarnath in Uttarakhand is the northernmost of the Jyotirlingas. Kedarnath, nestled in the snow-clad Himalayas, is an ancient shrine, rich in legend and tradition. It is accessible only by foot, and only for six months a year. |
6 | Bhimashankar | * | Maharashtra | Bhimashankar | Bhimashankar is very much debated. There is a Bhimashankara temple near Pune (pictured) in Maharastra, which was referred to as Daakini country, but Kashipur in Uttarakhand was also referred to as Daakini country in ancient days and a Bhimashkar Temple known as Shree Moteshwar Mahadev is present there. Another Bhimashankar is in the Sahyadri range of Maharashtra. Bhimshankar temple near Guwahati, Assam is the jyotirlinga according to Sivapuran. According to "LINGA PURAN", Bhimasankar temple in Bhimpur near Gunupur of Rayagada Dist in South Orissa is also believed as Bhimasankar Jyotirlinga, which is situated at the western part of the holy Mahendragiri mountains and at the river bank of Mahendratanaya. |
7 | Kashi Vishwanath | Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi | Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh is home to the Vishwanath Jyotirlinga shrine, which is perhaps the most sacred of Hindu shrines. | |
8 | Trimbakeshwar | Maharashtra | Trimbakeshwar, Near Nashik | Trimbakeshwar Temple, near Nasik in Maharashtra, is a Jyotirlinga shrine associated with the origin of the Godavari river. | |
9 | Vaijyanath | Jharkhand | Vaijnath | The location of Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga is also debated. Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga also called Baidyanth Temple is in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand. | |
10 | Nageshvara | Gujarat | Dwarka | Nageshvara Jyotirlinga shrine in Daruka Vana. The location of this jyotirlinga is in dispute with Jageshwar (pictured) near Almora in Uttarakhand, Dwarka in Gujarat and Aundha Nagnath in Hingoli district of Maharashtra, all claiming to be the correct location; but it is widely believed and accepted that the correct location is Dwarka. | |
11 | Rameshwar | Tamil Nadu | Rameswaram | Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu is home to the vast Ramalingeswarar Jyotirlinga temple and is revered as the southernmost of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of India. | |
12 | Grishneshwar | Maharashtra | Near Ellora, Aurangabad district | Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga shrine, in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, is located near the rock-cut temples of Ellora. This shrine is also known as Ghushmeshwar. |