What are the 12 Jyotirlingas, and where are they?
The 12 Jyotirlingas, where Lord Shiva is worshipped as a pillar of light, are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Vaidyanath in Jharkhand, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, Nageshwar in Gujarat, Kashi Vishwanath in Uttar Pradesh, Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand and Grishneshwar in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has the most, three: Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar.
The twelve, and where each one is
On the map on the Lord Shiva page
Somnath
Prabhas Patan, Gujarat
Chandra, the moon, worshipped Lord Shiva here to be freed from a curse that made him waste away. The temple by the sea has been destroyed and rebuilt many times.
Mallikarjuna
Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati came to these hills to be near their son Lord Kartikeya, who had gone south in anger. It is also one of the Shakti Peethas.
Mahakaleshwar
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Lord Shiva rose here as Mahakala, lord of time, to destroy the demon Dushana and protect the city. His linga faces south, and is worshipped at dawn with the Bhasma Aarti.
Omkareshwar
Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh
On an island in the Narmada said to be shaped like Om, with Amaleshwar on the bank across the river.
Vaidyanath
Deoghar, Jharkhand
Ravana was carrying Lord Shiva’s linga to Lanka and must not set it down, but was made to put it on the ground here. Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanath, the healer.
Bhimashankar
Pune district, Maharashtra
Lord Shiva destroyed the demon Bhima, son of Kumbhakarna, in the forests of the Sahyadri, where the Bhima river begins.
Rameshwaram
Pamban Island, Tamil Nadu
Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva here, on a linga of sand made by Goddess Sita, at the shore where the bridge to Lanka was built. Its long pillared corridors are famous.
Nageshwar
near Dwarka, Gujarat
In the Daruka forest Lord Shiva saved his devotee Supriya and others from the demon Daruka, and stayed as Nageshwar, lord of serpents.
Kashi Vishwanath
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Lord Shiva as Vishwanath, lord of the universe, in Kashi, the city said to rest on his trident. To die in Kashi is held to bring liberation.
Trimbakeshwar
Nashik district, Maharashtra
At the source of the Godavari, which the sage Gautama brought down here. The linga has three small faces, for Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
Kedarnath
Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand
The Pandavas sought Lord Shiva here to atone after the war. He hid as a bull and dived into the earth, leaving his hump, which is worshipped. The temple opens for about six months a year.
Grishneshwar
Verul, near Ellora, Maharashtra
Lord Shiva brought back the son of his devotee Ghushma, who worshipped him every day by immersing lingas in a lake. It is the last of the twelve.
Questions
What are the 12 Jyotirlingas?
Twelve shrines where Lord Shiva is worshipped as a pillar of light: Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Vaidyanath, Bhimashankar, Rameshwaram, Nageshwar, Kashi Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Kedarnath and Grishneshwar.
Which Jyotirlingas are in Maharashtra?
Bhimashankar, at Pune district, Trimbakeshwar, at Nashik district and Grishneshwar, at Verul, near Ellora.
Where is Somnath?
At Prabhas Patan, in Gujarat. Chandra, the moon, worshipped Lord Shiva here to be freed from a curse that made him waste away. The temple by the sea has been destroyed and rebuilt many times.