Origin and Greatness of Ghushmesha Jyotirlingam

Suta said

Seeing the younger wife's son, the elder was filled with misery. She could not bear Ghushma's happiness and at once began working against her. Because Ghushma had borne a son, everyone kept praising her, and Sudeha could not endure the handsome child, who had every good quality and was loved by both parents. Her heart blazed like a fire. In time brahmanas came offering their daughters in marriage. Sudharma and Ghushma followed the rites and arranged the wedding with great joy, and all the relatives showed Ghushma much respect. Seeing this, Sudeha's mind burned with rage and she cried, "Alas, woe is me." When the son was married and brought his bride home, Sudharma was glad and showed his joy to both his wives. Ghushma was delighted, but Sudeha, full of misery and unable to bear another's happiness, fell to the ground. Ghushma told her, "These are your son and daughter-in-law, not mine." Indeed the bride treated Sudeha as her mother-in-law and the son treated her as his mother, and the husband loved the elder wife more than the younger. Still the elder carried this stain in her mind.

One day, in her misery, Sudeha thought, "How can my pain be soothed?" and said to herself: "The fire in my heart can only be calmed by Ghushma's tears of grief. Nothing else is the cause of my sorrow. So today I will kill the son with his sweet speech. What must happen will happen, but this is my firm decision." Brahmanas, the thoughts of co-wives are generally vile and harsh. They fail to tell what should be done from what should not, and end by destroying themselves. One night, while the son and his wife slept, the elder took a knife and cut off his limbs. Strong and proud, she carried the pieces to the pond and threw them in, at the very place where Ghushma threw the lingams each day. Happy, she returned and slept.

In the morning Ghushma rose and did her daily tasks, and Sudharma performed his great daily rites. The elder wife went about the household cheerfully, the fire in her heart quenched. The daughter-in-law woke and found the bed wet with blood and a few pieces of flesh left. She went to her mother-in-law: "Where has your son gone? The bed is wet with blood and some pieces of his body are here. Alas, woe is me! Who has done this wicked thing?" She lamented her beloved in many ways. The elder wife's mind was full of joy, but outwardly she showed grief and cried "Alas" too. Ghushma heard her daughter-in-law's miserable words, yet did not break her vow or give up the daily worship of the earthen lingam. There was not the slightest anxiety in her mind. Her husband too kept his vow as usual. When the worship was done at noon, she saw the terrible bed. Even then she felt no grief at all. "The one who gave him will protect him. He is famed as the lover of his devotees, the destroyer of Yama, the refuge of the good. Shambhu alone is lord and our protector. He is like a garland-maker who parts those he has joined. What can I do by brooding now?" So she reflected on the truth and did not grieve. Holding to her fortitude, she sank into Shiva.

With her mind as steady as before, she took the earthen lingam and, chanting Shambhu's name, went to the bank of the pond and cast it in. As she turned back, she saw her son standing on the bank. "Mother, I meet you," he said. "I was dead and have come back to life, by the power of your good deeds and Shankara's favour." Seeing her son alive, Ghushma was no more delighted than she had been miserable before. At that moment Shiva himself appeared before her as a mass of light, pleased, and said: "Ask a boon. The wicked one killed him. Fair-faced lady, I will kill her with my trident." Ghushma bowed and asked for her boon: "Lord, Sudeha is my sister. You must protect her." Shiva said, "She injured you. Why do you wish to do her good? For her wicked deed Sudeha deserves to die." Ghushma replied: "When you are seen, no sins remain. Seeing you now, her sins will be burnt to ashes. If someone does good to a person who has done harm, sins stay far from whoever sees such a one. Lord, I have heard these wonderful words from Bhagavan himself. Sadashiva, one must act on them." Maheshvara, ocean of compassion, was pleased even more. "Ghushma, ask another boon. I will give what is good for you. I am deeply pleased with your devotion and your nature free of fault." She said, "If you will give a boon, for the protection of the worlds stay here under my name." Shiva, very pleased, replied: "I will stay here under your name, as Ghushmesha, the giver of happiness. My auspicious, famous lingam called Ghushmesha will arise here. This pond will always be a store of lingams, and this place will be famous in the three worlds as Shivalaya. Seeing it, the pond will always grant what is wished. Ones excellent in vows, for a hundred and one generations of your line such fine sons will be born, without doubt. They will have good wives and wealth, long lives and accomplishment, learning and generosity, and will gain pleasure and liberation. A hundred and one generations will excel in qualities, and so your lovely line will prosper." Saying this, Shiva took the form of the lingam called Ghushmesha, and the pond became famous as Shivalaya.

Sudharma, Ghushma and Sudeha arrived at once and circled Shiva a hundred and one times. They met each other and worshipped Mahesha together. They cast off the impurities of their minds and found supreme happiness. Sudeha, seeing the son alive, was ashamed. Brahmanas, she asked forgiveness and kept the vow that cleanses sin. Lords among sages, that is how the lingam Ghushmesha arose. Seeing and worshipping it always increases happiness. So I have told you of the twelve jyotirlingas. All of them grant every wish and give pleasure and liberation. A person who reads or hears about these jyotirlingas is freed from all sins and gains pleasure and liberation.