Among the temples of Dwaraka, Gujarat, Nageswara temple is a significant one because it is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana and it is believed to be the first such shrine.
Twelve Jyotirlinga are considered to be auspicious and holy. Each of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines is named after the presiding deity and each is a manifestation of Lord Shiva in the form of Linga, suggesting his infinite nature. Some of his main manifestations represent five essential elements of nature. No Aathi and no Anatham, meaning no beginning and no end. The twelve jyothirlinga are Nageshvara Jyotirlinga, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in the Himalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra and Vaidyanath at Deoghar in Jharkhand.
There is a legend regarding hoe Lord Shiva assumed the form of Jyothi - a huge column of fire with immeasurable crown and base. Once Lord Vishu and Lord Brahma had a dispute over their superiority and finally approached Lord Shiva to solve it. Shiva took the form of a huge column of fire and told them whoever informed him that he had seen the crown or base first would be the winner. Vishnu took the from of 'Khurma' went down the Earth. Having found that it was a futile bid, he gave it up and told Shiva that he could not see the base of fire. On the other hand, Brahma took the form of a bird and flew upward to find the crown. Upon
meeting Thazampoo, (Ketaki flower or Screw Pine Flower), a kind of sweet smelling flower on the way, he inquired about Shiva's crown. He told Brahma that he had been floating down wards for centuries. Knowing the impossibility of seeing Shiva's crown, using Tazhampoo as a false witness, Brahma lied to Shiva the he had seen the crown of the column of fire. Enraged Shiva cursed Brahma that there won't be a any temple dedicated to him, and as for Thazampoo, it was unfit for worship at Shiva temples.
According to the Shiva Purana, Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is in 'the Darukavana, an ancient name of a forest in India. 'Darukavana' finds quoted in Indian epics, such as Kamyakavana, Dvaitavana, Dandakavana. Legend has it there was a demon named Daaruka, who gave lots of troubles to the Shiva devotees, including one Supriya in his town of Darukavana, built under the sea and inhabited by sea snakes and demons. The devotees and Supriya prayed to lord Shiva to save them from the demon and his unbearable atrocities let lose on them. They chanted the holy mantra of Shiva and immediately thereafter the Lord Shiva emerged and and killed the demon. Daruki, wife of the demon, got special boons from Parvati, Shiva's consort and became a dominant figure in the forest Darukavana. Drunk with lots of magical power and arrogance, she moved the forest into the ocean and began treating the Shiva devotees and the hermits shabbily, kidnapping them and jailing them, etc. Shiva's devotees were again subject to all kinds of mental pain and torture. Supriya, an ardent devotee made a lingam and asked the other prisoners to pray to Lord Shiva. At last Shiva appeared in the form of Jyotirlinga and blessed Supriya with a weapon with which he called Daarukiki and other demons. Here the Shiva Lingam reverentially prepared by Supriya is known as Nageswar and goddess Paarvati is called Nageswari.
There are no Archaeological evidences suggesting the presence of Darakavana forest in ancient times; hence the location is a controversial one and because of its questionable location, 'Jageswara' temple in Almora, Uttarakhand is commonly identified as Nageshvara Jyotirlinga. This place - Darakavana has innumerable Deodar trees, perhaps, it is believed, the name may be derived from it. The temple, built in North Indian temple architecture style, is visited by devotees from all over Gujarat and other places.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nageshvara_Jyotirlinga
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| Nageshvara_Jyotirlinga temple, Dwaraka, Gujarat.thinkingparticle.com |
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| Nageshvara Jyotirlinga, Dwaraka, en.wikipedia.com |
There is a legend regarding hoe Lord Shiva assumed the form of Jyothi - a huge column of fire with immeasurable crown and base. Once Lord Vishu and Lord Brahma had a dispute over their superiority and finally approached Lord Shiva to solve it. Shiva took the form of a huge column of fire and told them whoever informed him that he had seen the crown or base first would be the winner. Vishnu took the from of 'Khurma' went down the Earth. Having found that it was a futile bid, he gave it up and told Shiva that he could not see the base of fire. On the other hand, Brahma took the form of a bird and flew upward to find the crown. Upon
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| Thazampoo (screw pine in English) hinduhints.blogspot.com |
According to the Shiva Purana, Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is in 'the Darukavana, an ancient name of a forest in India. 'Darukavana' finds quoted in Indian epics, such as Kamyakavana, Dvaitavana, Dandakavana. Legend has it there was a demon named Daaruka, who gave lots of troubles to the Shiva devotees, including one Supriya in his town of Darukavana, built under the sea and inhabited by sea snakes and demons. The devotees and Supriya prayed to lord Shiva to save them from the demon and his unbearable atrocities let lose on them. They chanted the holy mantra of Shiva and immediately thereafter the Lord Shiva emerged and and killed the demon. Daruki, wife of the demon, got special boons from Parvati, Shiva's consort and became a dominant figure in the forest Darukavana. Drunk with lots of magical power and arrogance, she moved the forest into the ocean and began treating the Shiva devotees and the hermits shabbily, kidnapping them and jailing them, etc. Shiva's devotees were again subject to all kinds of mental pain and torture. Supriya, an ardent devotee made a lingam and asked the other prisoners to pray to Lord Shiva. At last Shiva appeared in the form of Jyotirlinga and blessed Supriya with a weapon with which he called Daarukiki and other demons. Here the Shiva Lingam reverentially prepared by Supriya is known as Nageswar and goddess Paarvati is called Nageswari.
There are no Archaeological evidences suggesting the presence of Darakavana forest in ancient times; hence the location is a controversial one and because of its questionable location, 'Jageswara' temple in Almora, Uttarakhand is commonly identified as Nageshvara Jyotirlinga. This place - Darakavana has innumerable Deodar trees, perhaps, it is believed, the name may be derived from it. The temple, built in North Indian temple architecture style, is visited by devotees from all over Gujarat and other places.
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| Nageshvara_Jyotirlinga temple, Dwaraka, Gujarat.thinkingparticle.com |
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nageshvara_Jyotirlinga
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