Twelve Jyotirlingams

Nandishvara said

Sage, hear of the lord's twelve supreme avataras as jyotirlingas, which he took for his own play. Shambhu the supreme self's twelve avataras are: Somanatha in Sourashtra, Mallikarjuna on Shrishaila, Mahakala in Ujjayini, Amareshvara at Omkara, Kedara on the Himalayan slopes, Bhimashankara in Dakini, Vishvesha in Varanasi, Tryambaka on the banks of the Goutami, Vaidyanatha in a cremation ground, Nagesha in the Daruka forest, Ramesha at Setubandha and Ghushmesha at Shivalaya. If people see or touch them they gain every kind of bliss.

The first is Somanatha, in which he ended Chandra's miseries. When he is worshipped there, diseases such as consumption and leprosy are destroyed. Shiva's avatara Somesha is established there in lingam form, in the auspicious region of Sourashtra, where the moon worshipped him earlier. There is a Chandrakunda there which destroys every sin, and an intelligent man who bathes there is freed from all diseases. One who sees the great lingam of Someshvara, Shiva the supreme self, is free of sins and gains liberation.

Mallikarjuna is known as Shankara's second avatara, in Shrigiri, giving devotees the fruits they desire. Leaving his own mountain, very happily, Shiva went there to see his son, and he is praised there in lingam form. One who sees and worships this second jyotirlinga gains great happiness and at the end certainly gains liberation.

To protect his own people Shankara took the avatara called Mahakala in the city of Ujjayini. The asura named Dushana suppressed the Vedic dharma there, went to Ujjayini, destroyed everything and harmed brahmanas. When the brahmanas' sons meditated on him, he took the form of the jyotirlinga Mahakala and with his humkara quickly reduced to ashes the asura who lived in Ratnamala. At the gods' request he stayed on there to protect his devotees. One who attentively sees and worships the lingam called Mahakala gains all he desires and the supreme destination.

Paramesha Shambhu, the supreme self, took the fourth avatara, Omkara, which gives devotees the desired fruits. Brahma set up an earthen lingam there, and to satisfy Vindhya's wishes Mahadeva appeared from it. At the gods' request he stays there in two forms. Kind to devotees, in lingam form he gives enjoyment and liberation. The excellent lingam called Omkara exists in the form of Pranava, and Parameshvara is in that earthen lingam. Whenever it is seen or worshipped it gives devotees what they wish. Nandi told the sage he had thus described the extremely divine jyotirlinga.

Paramesha's fifth avatara is Kedaresha, in lingam form at Kedara. Hari's two avataras, Nara and Narayana, requested him, and Shiva stayed there at Kedara in the Himalayas, constantly worshipped by the two as Kedareshvara. When Shambhu is seen and worshipped he gives devotees everything desired. In particular Sarvesha is lord of the field. So this avatara of Shiva grants all that is desired.

The great lord Shambhu's sixth avatara is Bhimashankara. In his great play he destroyed Bhimasura, did wonderful deeds and protected his devotee King Sudakshina, lord of Kamarupa. He also killed the asura who troubled his devotee. At the king's request Shankara himself stays in Dakini as Bhimashankara in jyotirlinga form.

The seventh avatara, Vishveshvara, arose in Kashi in the form of the cosmic egg and gives enjoyment and liberation. He is always worshipped devotedly by all the gods, Vishnu and the others, and constantly by the lord of Kailasa and Bhairava. Standing in jyotirlinga form he gives liberation. This is the lord's own city and he is there in the form of a siddha. A person who devotedly does japa of the name Kashi-Vishvesha becomes indifferent to karma and is always entitled to a share in the state of kaivalya.

The eighth avatara is on the banks of the Goutami and is called Tryambaka. At Goutama's request the moon-crested one appeared there, and by Goutama's prayer took jyotirlinga form. Pleased with the sage and wishing to make him happy, he stays there. One who sees or touches Mahesha there succeeds in everything he wishes and is freed from this worldly body. By Shiva's favour the Goutami is known as Ganga there. To please Goutama, Shankara's beloved, the purifier, is established there.

The ninth avatara is described as Vaidyanatha. Engaging in many plays, the lord appeared for Ravana's sake. When he was being brought in this form, Maheshvara practised deceit. In his own jyotirlinga form he is established in a cremation ground and is famous in the three worlds as Vaidyanatheshvara. One who devotedly sees or worships him is given enjoyment and liberation. A man who hears the instructions and reads or hears of the greatness of Vaidyanatheshvara Shiva gains enjoyment and liberation.

The tenth avatara is said to be Nageshvara. He always punishes the wicked and came for his own devotees' sake. He killed the rakshasa Daruka, who was destroying dharma, and protected his devotee Supriya, a king of vaishyas. For the worlds' welfare he took jyotirlinga form. Engaging in many great plays Shambhu stayed there with Amba. A person who sees Shiva's lingam called Nageshvara and worships it has his store of great sins quickly destroyed.

Shiva's eleventh avatara is said to be Rameshvara, loved by Ramachandra and established by Rama. Shankara, kind to devotees, satisfied by Rama, appeared in lingam form and happily gave him the boon of victory. When Rama prayed to him he took jyotirlinga form. Served by Rama he stayed at Setubandha. Rameshvara's greatness is wonderful and unmatched on earth. It gives enjoyment and liberation and always gives devotees what they desire. A man who devotedly bathes the Rameshvara lingam with Ganga water becomes a jivanmukta, enjoys in this world all the pleasures hard even for gods to get, and after that gains supreme knowledge, kaivalya and liberation.

Ghushmeshvara is Shankara's twelfth avatara. Kind to devotees and engaged in many plays, he gave bliss to Ghushma. It is in the south, near Devashaila. To please Ghushma the lord appeared in a lake there. Sudeha killed Ghushma's son Sakalya, but Shambhu, kind to devotees and satisfied by her devotion, protected her. At her request, granting her wish, Shambhu stayed in that lake, took jyotirlinga form and is known as Ghushmeshvara. A person who sees Shiva's lingam and devotedly worships it enjoys every happiness in this world and after that gains liberation.

Nandi said he had thus described the aggregate of the twelve jyotirlingas, unmatched and divine, which give enjoyment and liberation. A person who hears this account of the jyotirlingas is freed of all sins and enjoys pleasure and liberation. With it he had also described the hundred Rudras; the recital of the hundred avataras yields all desired fruits, and a person who controls himself and constantly reads or hears it gets all he desires and certainly gains liberation.