12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva – Locations, Legends & Travel Guide

 

Meaning of Jyotirlinga

• Jyoti = Radiance
• Lingam = Symbol/mark of Lord Shiva
• Together, it signifies the radiant sign of the almighty.
• Represents the beginningless and endless pillar of light, symbolizing Shiva’s infinite nature.

Origin Legend (Shiva Mahapuran)

• A dispute arose between Vishnu and Brahma over supremacy.
• Shiva manifested as an infinite pillar of light (Jyotirlinga) to test them.
• Vishnu admitted defeat after failing to find the end, while Brahma lied.
• Shiva cursed Brahma never to be worshipped, while Vishnu would be revered eternally.
• Thus, Jyotirlingas became sacred manifestations of Shiva’s power.

The 12 Jyotirlingas in India

Jyotirlinga	Location	Unique Significance
Somnath	Saurashtra, Gujarat	First Jyotirlinga, near Triveni Sangam (Hiran, Kapila, Saraswati rivers).
Mallikarjuna	Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh	Famous for grand Mahashivratri celebrations.
Mahakaleshwar	Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh	Located by Rudra Sagar Lake; linked with Kumbh Mela.
Omkareshwar	Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh	Situated on the holy island in the Narmada River.
Vaidyanath	Parli (Maharashtra) / Deoghar (Jharkhand)	Disputed location; associated with tantric practices.
Nageshwar	Gujarat	Ancient shrine, mentioned in texts as Durkavana forest.
Kedarnath	Uttarakhand	Part of Char Dham pilgrimage, high in the Himalayas.
Trimbakeshwar	Nashik, Maharashtra	Located in Trimbak town; revered for its sacred waters.
Rameshwaram	Tamil Nadu	Famous for its architecture; linked to Ramayana.
Bhimashankar	Pune, Maharashtra	Associated with the demon Bhima, destroyed by Shiva.
Kashi Vishwanath	Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh	One of the holiest sites; renowned for grand aartis.
Grishneshwar	Aurangabad, Maharashtra	Mentioned in Shiva Purana; near Ellora caves.