When Ravana was unable to carry the Jyotirlinga to Lanka he severed nine of his 10 heads. Shiva appeared and rejoined them.
Vaidyanath is one of the Dwadasa Jyotirlingas. It is located at Deogarh in central India. The temple has a pyramidal tower that rises to a height of 72 feet. The lingam is 5 inches in diameter and projects about 4 inches from a slab of basalt. It is not known how much of the lingam is buried. The top of the lingam is chipped and has indentations. The temple top contains three pitcher-shaped gold vessels and a five-bladed trident. The inner top contains an eight-petal lotus jewel, known as Chandrakanta. The Vaidyanath temple is built in three distinct sections in the Nagara style. The main section dates back to the age of the Ramayana.
The Vaidyanath temple has a unique tradition in that worship is not conducted without materials from two specific communities. One is the Muslim family of Halim Sahib and the other is the Deogarh Jail. Once the son of the jailor was lost at sea and presumed dead. But the inmates of the jail prayed to Vaidyanath and soon there was news of his miraculous recovery. Since then the garland for the evening worship is daily made by the prisoners.
The Legend
Ravana was one of the greatest devotees of Shiva. He requested Shiva to take up residence in Lanka, so that his city would become invincible. When Shiva refused, Ravana attempted to lift Mount Kailash itself and take it to Lanka. He failed and prayed to Shiva for forgiveness. Shiva then gave Ravana a Jyotirlinga to take to Lanka, but cautioned that the Jyotirlinga would take root wherever it was first placed. The Devas did not want Ravana to possess the Jyotirlinga, so they worked out a plan. Varun, the Sea demi-God entered Ravana, making him want to relieve himself. Vishnu took the form of a young boy and volunteered to meanwhile hold the Jyotirlinga. But as soon as Ravana’s back was turned he put it down. Ravana was furious and tried to uproot the lingam thus chipping it and causing indentations on the surface, but to no avail. As a penance Ravana cut off nine of his heads and offered them to Shiva. Then Shiva descended as a vaidya or physician and rejoined the heads again. Hence this shrine is known as Vaidyanath. Ravana worshipped here daily till his death, after which the shrine was abandoned. Years later it was discovered by a hunter named Baiju and also came to be known as Baijnath or the Lord of Baiju.
Vaidyanath is also a Shakti Peeth of Sati. Her heart fell here when Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra chopped her body to pieces after Daksha’s yagna at Kankhal.
The History
The original inhabitants of Deogarh area were the Adivasis or tribal folk, though through the centuries several communities have migrated there. Inscriptions certify that the central section was built during the Golden age of the Gupta Kings. Later the area of Deogarh came under the rule of the Raja Puranmal of Gidhour. The rebuilding of the main temple in 1516 is credited to him, along with the third section, which constitutes the entrance. He also contributed the three golden vessels, which are on the temple top. Other sections of the temple complex have been attributed to the Pala kings Narayan Pala and Rama Pala. The temple today is administered by a trust whose members are chosen by the erstwhile royal family of Gidhour.
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