Twelve temples dedicated to Shiva, the Jyotirlingas, are specially revered because it is believed that the spiritually enlightened can see the lingas as columns of fire.
The Dwadasa Jyotirlingas are the 12 special shrines dedicated to Shiva since ancient times. ‘Dwadasa’ means 12 and ‘Jyotirlinga’ is a pillar of light. To us normal mortals, the lingas appear as the normal stone lingas in any temple of Shiva. But it is believed that at the 12 Jyotirlingas a person who has attained a higher level of spirituality can see the lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth.
The names and the locations of the 12 Jyotirlingas are mentioned in the Shiva Purana in the Shatarudra Samhita, chapter 42 verses 2 to 4. These shrines are Somnath, Shri Sailam, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Varanasi, Trimbakeshwar, Vaidyanath, Nageshwar, Rameshwaram and Grishneshwar. These temples are associated with legends from the Puranas. The Purana says that a devotee who regularly recites the names of the twelve Jyotirlingas is freed of his sins. In addition he acquires enlightenment.
The Legend of the Original Jyotirlinga
Many believe that the Jyotirlinga is the primal manifestation of the Supreme God. The Shiva Purana recounts how Shiva appeared as a Jyotirlinga to settle a dispute between Vishnu and Brahma. Brahma and Vishnu had a fight to ascertain who was more powerful. The fight grew so intense that the existence of the world was threatened. The Devas requested Shiva to intervene.
Shiva assumed the form of a lingam from which emenated a huge column of bright light that went on infinitely in both directions. Shiva then asked Brahma and Vishnu to find the end of the column. Whosoever found it first would be declared more powerful. Brahma went upwards and Vishnu went downwards. They traveled for a thousand years but neither reached the end. Brahma then saw a ketaki flower falling down in the light. He asked the flower if it had seen the end of the column. The flower replied that it had been placed on the top of the column as an offering of worship.
Brahma decided to take this flower and stake the claim that he had found the end of the column. Both Vishnu and Brahma returned to the lingam. Vishnu admitted that he did not find the end of the column. Brahma, on the other hand, claimed that he had found the end of the column. He showed the ketaki flower as proof, but this did not convince Shiva. Shiva told Brahma and Vishnu that light travels forever and hence it is not possible for anyone to find the end. He was angry with Brahma for lying and gave him a curse that no one would worship him. To this day, there is only one temple devoted to Brahma in the whole world. This is at Pushkar in north India. The ketaki flower too was punished. It would never again be offered as an offering in any form of worship.
The day Shiva appeared in the form of the Jyotirlinga was the 14th night of the waning moon of the month of Falguna, (also written as Phalgun). Hence, this day is celebrated as Mahashivratri to acknowledge the greatness of Shiva.
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