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Volume XXI, Issue 4 The 12 Jyotirlingas

February 12, 2010 1. Somnath in Saurashtra
Editor: Jc.K.V.Vinay (Kathiawad), Gujarat

2. Mallikarjun in Shrishailam
or Srisailam AP (also listed as
a Shakti Pitha site)

3. Mahakal in Ujjain OR Ma-

hakalaswar at Ujjain, MP
SPECIAL SHIVARATRI ISSUE

state.

7. Rameshwaram in
Setubandha, TamilNadu

4. Omkar in Mammalesh-
waram (at Omkareshwar on
the river Narmada, MP)
11. Kedarnath/Kedareshwar in
Utterkhand Himalayas, UP
8. Nagesh, Naganath/
Nageshwar, in Darukavana,
Maharaashtra

5. Vaijnath in Parli
(Vaidyanath at Deogarh, Bi-
har)
E-SUPER’V’

12. Ghurmeshwar in
Shivalaya OR Grineshwar in
9. Vishweshwar/ Viswanath in
Visalakam, near Ellora caves,
Banaras/Varanasi , UP
Mah

6. Bhima Shankar in Dakini

northwest of Poona, in
Dhakini, Maharashtra

Om Namah Shivaya
10. Trimbakeshwar near Nasik
on the banks of river Gautami/ Om Namah Shivaya
Godavari , Maharashtra
Om Namah Shivaya
Story of Maha Shivaratri - Know our Tradition! Know our Culture!
When?
Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or
Shivaratri or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva
or "Great Night of Shiva") is a festival
celebrated every year on the 13th
night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha
(waning moon) of the month of
Maagha (as per Shalivahana or Gujarati
Vikrama) or Phalguna (as per Vikrama)
in the Hindu Calendar (that is, the night
before and day of the new moon).
How?
The festival is principally celebrated by
offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the
Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all
night long vigil. Ganga is traditionally
used as an offering for Lord Shiva and
his followers.
Story - 1
During the Samudra
Manthan, a pot of
poison emerged
which was capable
of destroying the
entire world. To
protect the world
Maha Shivaratri - Interesting Points...
What is the Difference between
Shivratri and Maha Shivratri?
Every month there is a shivratri, i.e.
every month the 13th night in the
Krishna Paksha is a Shivratri.
But Maha Shivratri comes in the Phal-
gun Month.
What three fundamental powers of
Lord Shiva does his Trishul
(Trident) symbolize?
Will, Action and Knowledge.
Shiva's body is said to consist of five
mantras. What is it called?
Panchabrahman.
from its evil effects, Shiva drank the true form. He punished Brahma for
deathly poison but held it in his throat telling a lie, and cursed him that no one
instead of swallowing it. This made his would ever pray to him. The Ketaki
throat turn blue, and he was given the flower too was banned from being used
name Neelakantha, the blue-throated as an offering for any worship, as she
one. Shivaratri is the celebration of this had testified falsely.
event by which Shiva saved the world.
Since it was on the 14th day in the dark
Story - 2 half of the month of Phalguna that
Shiva first manifested himself in the
Brahma and
form of a Linga, the day is especially
Vishnu, were
auspicious and is celebrated as Maha-
fighting over who
shivaratri.
was the superior
of the two. To Story - 3
make them realize
According to Hindu
the futility of their
Vedic System, Shivra-
fight, Shiva as-
tri or 'Shivji's Great
sumed the form of
Night' symbolizes the
a huge column of fire in between
wedding day of Lord
Brahma and Vishnu.
Shiva and Parvati.
Both decided to find the origin. Brahma
assumed the form of a swan and went
upwards and Vishnu as Varaha went
into the earth.
Mahashivaratri is not only a ritual but
Brahma met a Ketaki flower and lied also a cosmic definition of the Hindu
that he found the origin. universe. It dispels ignorance and ema-
nates the light of knowledge.
At this, the angry Shiva revealed his
In all there are 14 Jyotirlingams secluded mountain
around the world. Twelve of them area in the district of
are in the Indian sub-continent. Savanne, deep in the
What is the name of the other two heart of Mauritius. It
and where are they located? is about 600m above
sea level.
M u k t i -
Gupteshwar It is considered the most sacred Hindu
Mandir is the p l a c e i n M a u r i t i u s .
13th Jyotirlingam, [ http://www.gangatalao.org]
at Australia.
It is the first and so far the only man- A Shivlingam is divided into three
made cave mandir dedicated to the main parts, what are they called?
Lord Shiva. It is totally underground.
The three parts are
[http://www.muktigupteshwar.org]
classified as, Lord
The 14th Jyotirlimgam, Eswarnath Brahma being at the
Mandir at Ganga Talao, Mauritius was bottom, Lord Vishnu in
consecrated in 1989. Ganga Talao or the middle and Lord Shiva on the top.
Grand Bassin is a lake situated in a