Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga (Śata Rudra Saṃhitā)
The twelve Jyotirliṅgas are the twelve avatāras of Bhagavān Śiva in the form of a jyotirliṅga, a liṅga of light. They are told in Chapter 42 of the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa, the last chapter of that Saṃhitā. In each place Bhagavān Śiva came down as Parameśvara for the good of his devotees, to destroy asuras and to fulfil every wish. The twelve are Somanātha, Mallikārjuna, Mahākāleśvara, Oṃkāreśvara, Kedāreśvara, Bhīmaśaṅkara, Viśveśvara (Kāśī), Tryambaka, Vaidyanātha, Nāgeśvara, Rāmeśvara and Ghuśmeśvara.
The twelve introduced
Nandīśvara tells Sanatkumāra that the twelve forms of Parameśvara as Jyotirliṅgas are of the highest excellence. They are the very forms of Bhagavān Śiva that show his endless līlās (divine play). These twelve shining liṅgas give all ānanda (joy) to human beings merely through darśana (sight) or sparśa (touch). They give both bhukti (enjoyment) and mukti (liberation). (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
1. Somanātha in Saurāshṭra
The first Jyotirliṅga is Somanātha in Saurāshṭra. Here Maheśvara appeared in liṅga form in the holy land of Saurāshṭra, and Candra (the Moon) worshipped him there. Candra was struck with great sorrow, the śāpa (curse) of kshaya (wasting disease) for neglecting Daksha’s daughters. He prayed to this liṅga and was freed from his suffering.
Whoever worships the Somanātha Mahāliṅga is freed from kshaya, kushṭha (leprosy) and other diseases. At this same tīrtha is the Candrakuṇḍa, a sacred lake. A wise person who bathes in it is freed from all illness. Whoever has darśana of the Somanātha Mahāliṅga is freed from pāpa (sin), gains the highest bhakti, and reaches mukti. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
2. Mallikārjuna at Śrī Śaila
The second Jyotirliṅga is Mallikārjuna at Śrīgiri, also called Śrī Śaila. Śaṃkara, who loves his devotees (bhaktavatsala), came down here in liṅga form with great joy from Kailāsa, to fulfil the wishes of his devotees. Those who want children (putrasantāna) pray to Mallikārjuna in his liṅga form. Whoever has darśana and pūjā of this second Jyotirliṅga gains great happiness (mahāsukha) in this world and mukti after leaving the body. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
3. Mahākāleśvara at Ujjayinī
The third Jyotirliṅga is Mahākāleśvara at Ujjayinī. The asura Dūshaṇa destroyed Vedic dharma, hated brāhmaṇas, and laid waste to everything in Ujjayinī. He was destroying the way of life of the brāhmaṇas and their sons. The brāhmaṇas prayed to Bhagavān Śiva with the Vedas.
Bhagavān Śiva, the guardian of his devotees, at once burned the asura Dūshaṇa of Ratnamāla-nagara to ash with a single huṃkāra (roar). Then, at the prayer of the devas, he made his permanent home at Ujjayinī in Jyotirliṅga form under the name Mahākāla. Whoever has darśana and arcana (honouring) of this Mahākāleśvara Liṅga with faith (śraddhāpūrvaka) gains all wished-for fruits in this world and the highest destination (uttamagati) after death. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
4. Oṃkāreśvara at Oṃkāra
The fourth avatāra is Oṃkāreśvara. The mountain Vindhya made a Śivaliṅga with the proper rites and worshipped it with full devotion. From that pārthiva liṅga (a liṅga made of earth), Mahādeva appeared and fulfilled Vindhya’s wish.
At the prayer of the devas, Bhagavān Śiva appeared here in two forms: Oṃkāreśvara, the main Jyotirliṅga, and Parameśvara, the pārthiva liṅga worshipped by Vindhya. Together the two make up this fourth avatāra. Whoever has darśana of even one of these two divine Jyotirliṅga forms receives all wished-for fruits from Parameśvara. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
5. Kedāreśvara at Kedāra in the Himālaya
The fifth Jyotirliṅga is Kedāreśvara on the Himālaya peak of Kedāra. Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the avatāras of Vishṇu, live at Kedāra in the Himālaya. At their prayer, and the prayer of others who live there, Bhagavān Śiva came down at Kedāra under the name Kedāreśvara. He receives the daily pūjā of Nara and Nārāyaṇa.
The Śata Rudra Saṃhitā says that although Bhagavān Śiva is Sarveśvara, lord of all, in this avatāra he has taken a special lordship over this one region. He fulfils every wish of those who seek him there. Whoever worships Kedāreśvara has all wishes fulfilled by Śaṃbhu. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
6. Bhīmaśaṅkara at Ḍākinī
The sixth Jyotirliṅga is Bhīmaśaṅkara at Ḍākinī. The fearsome asura Bhīmāsura was tormenting the devotees of Bhagavān Śiva and causing great suffering to King Sudakshiṇa, a devoted ruler of the Kāmarūpa region. At Sudakshiṇa’s prayer, Bhagavān Śiva, who performs great and many līlās, came down and killed Bhīmāsura. In answer to the prayer of the devas, he made his home in Jyotirliṅga form under the name Bhīmaśaṅkara at Ḍākinī. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
7. Viśveśvara at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
The seventh Jyotirliṅga is Viśveśvara at Kāśī, which is Vārāṇasī. He is the all-pervading Parameśvara, the form of the whole brahmāṇḍa (the universe). Vishṇu, Brahmā and all the devas, including Bhagavān Śiva as Kailāsagirīśa (lord of Kailāsa) and Bhairava, worship Viśveśvara every day with deep bhakti.
Bhagavān Śiva, the giver of mukti, lives at Kāśī as a svayambhū (self-born) Jyotirliṅga, in his own city. Whoever worships Viśveśvara of Kāśī with bhakti and chants Śiva’s name is freed for ever from all karma-bandha (the bond of karma) and reaches kaivalyapadam, the state of oneness. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
8. Tryambaka on the Gautamī river
The eighth Jyotirliṅga is Tryambaka on the banks of the Gautamī river. Gautama Maharshi prayed deeply to Maheśvara. Bhagavān Śiva wished to bring joy to the great ṛshi, and came down in Jyotirliṅga form on the banks of the Gautamī under the name Tryambaka. By Bhagavān Śiva’s anugraha (grace), the Gaṅgā herself flows at this place as Gautamī, for Gautama’s joy. Whoever has darśana and sparśa of this Jyotirliṅga has all wishes fulfilled and gains mukti after leaving the body. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
9. Vaidyanātha at Citābhūmi
The ninth Jyotirliṅga is Vaidyanātha at Citābhūmi. This avatāra appeared for Rāvaṇa. Bhagavān Śiva used Rāvaṇa’s act of taking this liṅga as the occasion and pretext (misha) for his coming. Maheśvara, showing his many līlās, appeared as a Jyotirliṅga at Citābhūmi, the cremation ground, under the name Vaidyanātha. His glory became famous in all three worlds. Whoever has darśana and pūjā of Vaidyanātheśvara receives both bhukti and mukti. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
10. Nāgeśvara in Dārukāvana
The tenth Jyotirliṅga is Nāgeśvara in the Dārukāvana. The asura Dārukāsura destroyed dharma. Bhagavān Śiva killed him to protect Supriya, a pious vaiśya devotee of Śiva whom Dāruka had taken prisoner. Supriya had kept his devotion to Bhagavān Śiva even as Dāruka’s prisoner.
Bhagavān Śiva came with Pārvatī and destroyed Dārukāsura. Then, for the good of all the worlds, he came down in Jyotirliṅga form as Nāgeśvara at that place and stays there for ever. Whoever has darśana and arcana of this liṅga is at once freed from great heaps of mahāpāpa (great sin). (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
11. Rāmeśvara at Setubandha
The eleventh Jyotirliṅga is Rāmeśvara at Setubandha, the bridge across the ocean to Laṅkā. This liṅga was set up by Śrī Rāma himself. Śaṃkara, who loves his devotees, was greatly pleased by Rāma’s pūjā at this place. He appeared in liṅga form and gave Rāma the vara of vijaya (victory). At Rāma’s deep and strong prayer, Bhagavān Śiva made his permanent home there as the Rāmeśvara Jyotirliṅga at Setubandha.
The glory (mahimā) of Rāmeśvara is extraordinary, equal to nothing on earth. He gives devotees kāma (desire), bhukti and mukti. Whoever performs abhisheka on this liṅga with Gaṅgā water with great bhakti reaches jīvanmukti by Rāmeśvara’s anugraha. He enjoys all pleasures that even devas find hard to reach, and after leaving the body gains paramajñāna (highest knowledge) and moksha. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
12. Ghuśmeśvara near Devaśaila
The twelfth and last Jyotirliṅga is Ghuśmeśvara, near Devaśaila in the south. A devoted woman named Ghuśmā had deep bhakti for Bhagavān Śiva and worshipped him faithfully. Śaṃbhu, who loves his devotees, was delighted by her bhakti and showed his wonderful līlā. Her son was slain. When she carried on in unbroken devotion to Bhagavān Śiva without being shaken, Śaṃbhu in his compassion fully restored the son.
Ghuśmā prayed to him to stay at that place. Śaṃbhu appeared in a sacred lake near Devaśaila as the Ghuśmeśvara Jyotirliṅga. Whoever has darśana and devoted worship of this Śivaliṅga enjoys all worldly pleasures and then gains mukti. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
The end of the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā
With the telling of the twelve Jyotirliṅga avatāras, the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā comes to its end. Nandīśvara says to Sanatkumāra: “I have now told the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, which fulfils all wishes and gives all fruits. In this Saṃhitā the pure glory of a hundred avatāras of Śiva is told.” Whoever reads or hears this Saṃhitā every day with a one-pointed, engaged mind will gain all wished-for fruits, and after that, without doubt, will gain mukti. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42)
Sources
- Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 42