12 Jyotirlinga Names: Revered not only in India but across the world, Lord Shiva is worshipped as Mahadev—the God of Gods. Known by many names such as Shankar, Bholenath, Neelkanth, and Maheshwar, Shiva represents the eternal cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction.
It is believed that sincere worship of Lord Shankar dispels fear of illness, suffering, poverty, and untimely death, filling life with peace and happiness. According to sacred beliefs, Shiva exists in every particle of the universe, yet there are 12 sacred places on Earth where he manifested himself in the form of divine light.
These holy sites are known as the Dwadasha Jyotirlingas. Devotees believe that visiting or even chanting the names of these Jyotirlingas with devotion brings immense spiritual merit and leads to salvation. Let us explore the names and locations of Lord Shiva’s 12 Jyotirlingas.
12 Jyotirlinga Names: Know which are the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva?
1. Somnath Jyotirlinga
The Somnath Jyotirlinga is located in Prabhas Patan, near Veraval, in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It is considered the first Jyotirlinga on Earth. According to religious beliefs, Daksha Prajapati had 27 daughters, who were married to Lord Chandra. Of all his wives, Lord Chandra loved Rohini the most and neglected the others. Angered by this, Daksha Prajapati cursed her.
Later, to free himself from the curse, the Moon performed penance to Lord Shiva in the Prabhas Kshetra (Somnath). Pleased with his penance, Lord Shiva appeared and freed the Moon from the curse, placing it on his head. One of the moon’s names is “Soma,” so Lord Shiva became known here as “Somnath,” meaning Lord of Soma.
2. Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga
Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga is located on Srisailam Mountain in the Nandyal district (formerly Kurnool) of Andhra Pradesh. “Mallika” means Parvati, and “Arjuna” means Shiva. Once, Lord Shiva’s son, Kartikeya, became angry and went to Srisailam Mountain. Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva went there to pacify him. When Kartikeya saw them coming, he moved further away. Out of love for their son, Shiva and Parvati established themselves there as a Jyotirlinga.
3. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
This is the only south facing Jyotirlinga. The Bhasma Aarti performed here is world famous. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is located in the historical city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh. In ancient times, a demon named ‘Dushana’ used to harass the devotees in Avantika (Ujjain). Then Lord Shiva appeared in the form of Mahakal to protect the devotees. He killed the demon with his roar. On the request of the devotees, Lord Shiva sat there in the form of Jyotirlinga for the welfare of the people.
4. Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga
Omkareshwar is located on a sacred island in the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh. It is believed that the Narmada River flows in an “Om” shape, giving it the name Omkareshwar. According to legend, the Vindhya Mountains performed severe penance to Lord Shiva. Pleased with the penance, Shiva appeared and granted a boon to the Vindhya Mountains. At that very spot, Shiva became established as the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga. This place is considered a symbol of devotion and power.
5. Kedarnath
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is a famous Hindu pilgrimage site located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The Pandavas performed penance to Lord Shiva here to atone for the sins of the Kurukshetra War. Shiva took the form of a bull and disappeared into the earth. Bhima grabbed his hind hump. At that very spot, Shiva appeared as Kedarnath.
6. Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 major Jyotirlingas in India, located in the Pune district of Maharashtra. According to legend, in ancient times there was a demon named Bhima. His atrocities troubled both gods and humans. Lord Shiva then killed Bhima. Devotees prayed to him to reside here. Lord Shiva accepted their prayers and became established as a Jyotirlinga.
7. Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga
Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Varanasi is located on the western bank of the sacred river Ganges in the city of Varanasi (Banaras) in Uttar Pradesh. It is the most beloved city of Lord Shiva. It is believed that this place is situated on Shiva’s trident and is not destroyed even during the apocalypse. It is said that a person who dies here attains salvation. Shiva himself resides here in the form of Vishwanath. This place has been considered indestructible since the beginning of creation.
8. Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga
Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga is located in the Nashik district of Maharashtra. Lord Shiva resides here at the special request of Gautam Rishi and the Ganges (Godavari). Here, the symbols of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh—all three—are present in a single linga.
9. Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga
Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga (Baba Dham) is located in the Deoghar district of the Indian state of Jharkhand. It is believed that Ravana wanted to take Lord Shiva to Lanka. Shiva stipulated that the linga should not be placed anywhere along the route. Through the divine play of the gods, Ravana placed the linga here, which became established. Lord Shiva is known here as Vaidyanath.
10. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is a famous Shiva temple located between the city of Dwarka and Bet Dwarka Island in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. According to legend, a demon named Daruka used to harass devotees. To protect Shiva devotee Supriya, Lord Shiva appeared here in the form of Nageshwar and killed Daruka. This Jyotirlinga is believed to free devotees from fear and poison.
11. Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga
Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga, also known as the Ramanathaswamy Temple, is located on an island in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. Before conquering Lanka, Lord Rama established a Shivalinga here for Shiva worship. Mother Sita had made the Shivalinga from sand. Shiva blessed Rama, freeing him from the sin of killing Ravana. Since then, this Jyotirlinga has been called Rameshwaram.
12. Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga
Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga is located near Ellora (Verul) in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) district of Maharashtra. The story is related to the devotee Ghrishna, who offered water to the Shivalinga daily. Out of jealousy, her sisters killed her son. Pleased with Ghrishna’s unwavering devotion, Lord Shiva brought her son back to life, and he was enshrined here as a Jyotirlinga.
