Nāgeśvara is the tenth of the twelve Jyotirliṅgas, the self-arisen liṅgas of light of Śiva (a liṅga is Śiva’s sacred sign or form). By tradition it is in the Dārukāvana forest near Dvārakā, in Gujarat.

Its story is about the rākshasī Dārukā and her husband Dāruka, who had a boon that let them carry the whole Dārukāvana forest wherever they liked. After Kārttikeya killed Dāruka, Dārukā terrorised the seas and carried off devotees of Śiva, locking them in a city hidden in the Dārukāvana. Among the prisoners was Supriya, a devoted Śiva-bhakta (devotee of Śiva). Even in prison, Supriya led his fellow captives in pūjā to a pārthiva liṅga (a liṅga of earth). When Dārukā tried to kill Supriya, Śiva burst out of the liṅga and destroyed her. The place where this happened became the Nāgeśvara Jyotirliṅga.

Location

The Nāgeśvara Jyotirliṅga is identified with the Nāgeśvara temple near Dvārakā, in the Dvārakā district of Gujarat on the Saurāshṭra peninsula. The name Dārukāvana (“forest of dāru trees”) is linked with the Saurāshṭra region.

The Story of Its Origin

Dārukā’s Power and Her Moving Forest

The rākshasī Dārukā and her rākshasa husband Dāruka had an amazing power, won through tapas (intense spiritual discipline): they could carry the Dārukāvana forest wherever they wished. This moving forest served the rākshasas as a travelling shelter and fortress. Dārukā became even more dangerous after Kārttikeya killed her husband. Burning for revenge and armed with her own powers, she began to terrorise the seas and the coasts, sinking ships and carrying off travellers and devotees.

Supriya Is Imprisoned

Among the devotees taken by Dārukā was a Śiva-bhakta named Supriya, a vaiśya (merchant) of great devotion. Supriya was locked up with many other captives in the rākshasa city hidden inside the Dārukāvana. In the darkness and despair of the prison, he did not give up his devotion to Śiva. He gathered the other prisoners together, led them in pūjā and kept their spiritual practice alive.

Pūjā in Prison

Just as Śiva had shown grace to other devotees in prison, Supriya made a pārthiva liṅga from the earth of the prison and began daily pūjā with deep devotion. His fellow prisoners, inspired by him, joined in. The pūjā went on in spite of the rākshasas’ hatred.

When Dārukā found out about the pūjā, she was furious. She faced Supriya, mocked his devotion and declared that his Śiva could not save him here, in the heart of rākshasa country. She made ready to kill him.

Śiva Appears as Nāgeśvara

Just as Dārukā raised her weapon to kill Supriya, the pārthiva liṅga burst open. Parameśvara came out, blazing with divine power. Śiva faced Dārukā and swiftly destroyed her, and the prisoners were set free.

After Dārukā was destroyed, the devas, ṛshis and devotees, including the freed Supriya, asked Śiva to stay at this place. Śiva agreed and made his home at Dārukāvana as Nāgeśvara, the master of the nāgas (serpent beings). The name links this Jyotirliṅga with Śiva as the one who wears the serpent Vāsuki as his ornament and rules over all nāga beings.

The Name Nāgeśvara

Nāgeśvara = nāga (serpent) + Īśvara (master, ruler). Śiva is adorned with serpents, with Vāsuki coiled around his neck, and he is the highest refuge of all nāga beings. At this Jyotirliṅga, Śiva’s rule over the serpent world is honoured in a special way.

Why It Matters

The story of Nāgeśvara follows the same deep pattern as those of Bhīmeśvara and Mahākāleśvara. A devotee of Śiva is imprisoned and threatened by an asuric power. Pūjā to a pārthiva liṅga is kept up in impossible conditions. And Śiva comes straight out of the liṅga to protect the devotee. What is special here is Supriya’s role as a leader. He turns a group of frightened prisoners into a gathering of devotees at pūjā. The freeing of many captives, not only Supriya himself, is the fruit of his devotion.

Sources

Śiva Purāṇa, Koṭi Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapters 29–30