Puneet Kumar

2023-09-28 15:46:52

A Jyotirlinga, also known as Jyotirling or Jyotirlingam, is a sacred and revered symbol in Hinduism that represents Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities in the Hindu pantheon. The term "Jyotirlinga" is derived from two Sanskrit words: "Jyoti," meaning "radiance" or "light," and "linga," which refers to a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva.

There are traditionally considered to be twelve major Jyotirlingas in India, each of which is associated with a specific story and location. These Jyotirlingas are believed to be self-manifested or naturally occurring lingas, and they are regarded as powerful and spiritually significant places of worship for devotees of Lord Shiva. Pilgrimage to these Jyotirlingas is considered a highly meritorious act in Hinduism.

The Twelve Jyotirlingas are as follows:

Somnath: Located in Prabhas Patan, Gujarat.

Mallikarjuna: Situated in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh.

Mahakaleshwar: Found in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

Omkareshwar: Located on an island in the Narmada River, Madhya Pradesh.

Kedarnath: Situated in the Himalayas, Uttarakhand.

Bhimashankar: Located near Pune, Maharashtra.

Kashi Vishwanath: Found in Varanasi (Kashi), Uttar Pradesh.

Trimbakeshwar: Situated near Nashik, Maharashtra.

Vaidyanath (Vaijnath): Located in Deoghar, Jharkhand.

Nageshwar (Aundha Nagnath): Situated in Dwarka, Gujarat.

Rameshwar (Ramanathaswamy): Found in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.

Grishneshwar: Located near Ellora, Maharashtra.