Greatness of Jyotirlingams and Upalingams

Opening verse

In his own maya he takes the form of the world, and he has conquered all change. His compassionate glance is said to lead to heaven and liberation. Yogis always see him in their hearts as the giver of understanding and happiness, the one without a second. Half his body is lit by the mountain's daughter. I bow to the eternal one's energy. His glance is full of compassion and his pleasant smiling face, lovely as a lotus, shines with the moon's digits. He calms the three terrible kinds of hardship. His body is full of supreme joy, truth and consciousness, circled by the arms of the mountain's daughter. May he give me everything most auspicious.

The rishis said

Suta, for the welfare of the worlds you have told properly all about the greatness of Shiva's avataras with their many accounts. Father, gladly tell us again of Shiva's excellent greatness in connection with lingams. As an excellent devotee of Shiva you are blessed. Lord, having heard from your lotus mouth, we are not yet satisfied. Speak to us again of the amrita of Shiva's lovely fame, of all the lingams and auspicious holy places, on earth or elsewhere, and of all the famous spots. Disciple of Vyasa, for the welfare of the worlds, tell us of Paramesha's divine lingams.

Suta replied

Rishis, you have asked a virtuous question for the welfare of the worlds. Brahmanas, out of affection I will tell it briefly. Sages, the total number of Shiva's lingams cannot be counted. Everything on earth is full of lingams, everything in the universe is full of lingams, all holy places are full of lingams, and everything rests on lingams. Since they cannot be numbered, I will speak of a few. Everything that is seen, can be seen, described or remembered is Shiva's form, and nothing exists without him. Best of rishis, still, listen lovingly; I will tell you what I have heard of the lingams on earth. Shambhu is worshipped everywhere by gods, asuras and humans, in Patala, in heaven and on earth. Supreme ones, to favour the worlds Shambhu pervades the three worlds in the form of lingams, with gods, asuras and humans. For the welfare of the worlds Maheshvara takes lingams at various holy places and elsewhere. Wherever Shambhu's devotees remember him with devotion, he takes an avatara there, and having done his work, stays there. To do good to the worlds he makes his own lingams, and worship of them brings siddhi. No count can be put on the lingams on earth, so, brahmanas, I will speak of the major ones, and among those the most important. Hearing of them frees people at once from all sins. Excellent ones, I now speak of the major jyotirlingas, which dispel all sins as soon as they are heard. The twelve are Somanatha in Sourashtra, Mallikarjuna on Shrishaila, Mahakala in Ujjaini, Parameshvara in Omkara, Kedara on the Himalayan slopes, Bhimashankara in Dakini, Vishvesha in Varanasi, Tryambaka on the Goutami's banks, Vaidyanatha in the cremation ground, Nagesha in Darukavana, Ramesha at Setubandha and Ghushmesha in Shivalaya. A person who reads these in the morning is freed of all sins and gains success in everything. Lords among sages, excellent men who read this gain whatever they wish, and their desires in the next world as well. Those who read it without desire are filled with auspiciousness and do not have to lie in a womb again. If they are worshipped, miseries in this world are destroyed for all varnas, and liberation hereafter is certain. If one works to offer them food and other offerings, all sins are burned to ash at once. Brahmanas, even Brahma and others cannot tell all the special fruits of the jyotirlingas, let alone ordinary people. A person who constantly worships any one of them for six months need not suffer birth in a womb. A person of low birth who sees a jyotirlinga is reborn in a bright, virtuous line. Born in a virtuous line, he gains excellent riches and becomes skilled in the Vedas, then does auspicious deeds and without obstruction gains liberation. Lords among sages, a person born as an outcaste or a eunuch who sees a jyotirlinga is reborn a brahmana and gains liberation. So I have told some of the fruits of the jyotirlingas.

Supreme among rishis, now hear the sub-lingams of these jyotirlingas. The sub-lingam of Someshvara is said to be Antakesha, at the meeting of the Mahi with the ocean. Mallikarjuna's is Rudreshvara, in Bhrigukaksha, which brings happiness. Mahakala's is famous as Dugdhesha, in the region around the Narmada, said to destroy all sins. Omkara's is famous as Kardamesha, near Lake Bindusara, yielding everything desired. Kedareshvara's is Bhutesha on the banks of the Yamuna; seeing or worshipping it is said to destroy great sins. Bhimashankara's is said to be Bhimeshvara, famous, in the region of Mount Sahya, increasing great strength. Nagheshvara's is Bhuteshvara, on the banks of the Mallika-Sarasvati; seeing it destroys sins. Rameshvara's is Gupteshvara. Ghushmesha's is Vyaghreshvara. Brahmanas, so I have told the sub-lingams of the jyotirlingas. Seeing them destroys sins and gives everything desired. These are the foremost of the major ones, and there are other major ones; supreme rishis, hear of them.