The Twelve Jyotirlingas
Each origin story is retold from this site's Shiva Purana translation, with the temple's recorded history beside it. Where sources disagree about a site, that is stated rather than settled.
Jyotirlinga 1 of 12
Somnathसोमनाथ
Prabhas Patan, near Veraval · Gujarat
The first of the twelve. Chandra, cursed with wasting disease for favouring one wife over the rest, is restored at Prabhasa by six months of worship, and Shiva stays there as Someshvara.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 2 of 12
Mallikarjunaमल्लिकार्जुन
Srisailam · Andhra Pradesh
The second jyotirlinga. When Kartikeya leaves home and will not return, Shiva and Parvati go to see him on parva days, and the place where they do becomes Mallikarjuna.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 3 of 12
Mahakaleshwarमहाकालेश्वर
Ujjain (Avanti) · Madhya Pradesh
Four devoted brahmana brothers of Avanti meet the asura Dushana with meditation alone, and Shiva rises from the earth as Mahakala. A second chapter tells how a gopi's five-year-old son is rewarded for imitating the king's worship.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 4 of 12
Omkareshwarओंकारेश्वर
Mandhata (Shivapuri) island, Narmada, near Khandwa · Madhya Pradesh
Stung by Narada's remark that Meru stands higher, the mountain Vindhya worships Shiva for six months at Omkara; Shiva grants the boon and stays in two forms, the parthiva lingam and Pranava.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 5 of 12
Kedarnathकेदारनाथ
Kedarnath, Rudraprayag district · Uttarakhand
Nara and Narayana, Vishnu's two avataras, secure Shiva's presence in the Himalayas by daily worship. The Purana then tells of the Pandavas chasing Shiva in buffalo form.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 6 of 12
Bhimashankarभीमशंकर
Bhimashankar, Khed taluka, Pune district · Maharashtra
The rakshasa Bhima, son of Kumbhakarna, imprisons the Shiva-devoted king Sudakshina of Kamarupa. When Bhima strikes the king's parthiva lingam with a sword, Shiva rises from it and burns the rakshasa host.
Site disputed: see the page for the claims.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 7 of 12
Kashi Vishwanathकाशी विश्वनाथ
Varanasi · Uttar Pradesh
Kashi's origin as Shiva's own city, held up on his trident through dissolution, and the Purana's teaching on dying in the five-krosha boundary of Avimukta.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 8 of 12
Trimbakeshwarत्र्यम्बकेश्वर
Trimbak, near Nashik · Maharashtra
The sage Goutama wins an eternal spring in a drought, is falsely accused of killing a cow by the rishis he fed, and asks Shiva for Ganga rather than for revenge. Shiva stays as Tryambaka.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 9 of 12
Vaidyanathवैद्यनाथ
Deoghar (the most widely accepted site) · Jharkhand
Ravana severs nine of his heads for Shiva and receives a lingam to carry to Lanka on one condition. Shiva's maya makes him set it down, and it stays where it was placed.
Site disputed: see the page for the claims.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 10 of 12
Nageshwarनागेश्वर
Darukavana (identification disputed) · Gujarat, Maharashtra or Uttarakhand, depending on the claim
Imprisoned by the rakshasa Daruka in a city under the sea, the vaishya Supriya teaches fellow captives to worship Shiva. Shiva emerges from a cavity, destroys the rakshasas and stays as Nageshvara.
Site disputed: see the page for the claims.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 11 of 12
Rameshwaramरामेश्वर
Rameswaram island · Tamil Nadu
On the shore facing Lanka, Rama worships a parthiva lingam, receives Shiva's permission for victory, and asks him to stay. Shiva remains as Rameshvara.
Read the full story and temple history →Jyotirlinga 12 of 12
Grishneshwarघुश्मेश्वर
Verul, near Ellora · Maharashtra
Ghushma's older co-wife Sudeha kills Ghushma's son out of jealousy. Ghushma, unshaken, goes on worshipping, and Shiva restores the boy and stays under her name.
Read the full story and temple history →What are the twelve Jyotirlingas?
Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Kashi Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Vaidyanath, Nageshwar, Rameshwaram and Grishneshwar. The Shiva Purana lists them in its Shata Rudra Samhita and tells each origin story in the Koti Rudra Samhita.
Which Jyotirlinga locations are disputed?
Nageshwar is claimed at Dwarka (Gujarat), Aundha Nagnath (Maharashtra) and Jageshwar (Uttarakhand), and Vaidyanath at Deoghar (Jharkhand) and Parli (Maharashtra). Sources differ and this page does not settle it.