List Of 12 Jyotirlingas Of Lord Shiva, Know Their Names, Locations And Significance

Sawan 2026: Lord Shiva is one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. He is also known as 'Bholenath' and 'Mahakaal'. There are 12 Jyotirlinga temples in India dedicated to him, and it's a dream of every devotee to visit these temples once in their lifetime.

According to Hindu beliefs, Lord Shiva manifested himself in these places to guide people and show them the true path of enlightenment. By visiting these sacred shrines, people believe that their sins are washed away and they attain inner peace.

List Of 12 Jyotirlingas Of Lord Shiva With Their Locations And Significance

Here is the list of 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, each having its own spiritual significance:

1. Somnath Jyotirlinga

Somnath Jyotirlinga is located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Gujarat. It is one of the first Jyotirlingas where Lord Shiva manifested himself. According to mythology, when the Moon deity was cursed, he performed penance to Lord Shiva to free himself from the curse. According to the Shiva Purana, worshipping Lord Shiva in Somnath is believed to cure ailments, bad luck, and planetary doshas.

2. Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga

Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga is located in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh. According to mythology, Lord Kartikeya got upset with Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He left Kailash and started staying at Kronch Parvat (hill) in Uttarakhand. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, to console him, went there and manifested themselves there to be close to their son. That is why in Mallikarjuna, Mallika denotes Parvati, while Arjuna denotes Lord Shiva. It is believed that worshipping Lord Shiva in this form removes problems and brings inner peace.

3. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is situated in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. In ancient times, when King Chandrasen ruled Ujjain, it was attacked by kings from rival kingdoms. To save his kingdom, the king, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, started worshipping him. It is believed that Lord Shiva, in the form of Mahakaal, came and destroyed the enemies of King Chandrasen. It is said that at the king's request, Lord Shiva manifested himself here. Devotees worshipping Lord Shiva in this form get relief from stress, anxiety, fear and negative energy.

4. Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga is located on Mandhata Island, Madhya Pradesh. The island on which the temple is located is shaped like ‘Om’. According to mythology, when demons attacked the gods, they sought the help of Lord Shiva. To help the gods, Lord Shiva manifested as Omkareshwar and defeated the demons. Devotees believe that worshipping this form of Lord Shiva removes negative emotions and calms their mind.

5. Kedarnath

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is located in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. According to legends, after the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas performed extreme penance to Lord Shiva, asking forgiveness for what they committed during the war. Lord Shiva, however, didn't appear directly in front of them; instead, he took the form of a bull and hid beneath the ground. However, the part that was visible was installed by the Pandavas as a jyotirlinga.

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is located in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand (Image: Pexels)

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6. Bhimashankar

This Jyotirlinga is located near Pune, Maharashtra. According to folklore, this is the place where Lord Shiva defeated Bhima, the son of Ravana’s brother, Kumbhakarna. When devotees need strength and protection, they can come here and worship Lord Shiva in this form.

7. Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlinga

Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlinga is located near the southern tip of India in Tamil Nadu. According to mythology, this lingam was installed by Lord Rama himself, who prayed to Lord Shiva before the battle against Ravana. Devotees believe that worshipping lord Shiva here cleanses their past karmic sins.

8. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga

This Jyotirlinga is located in the Dwarka district of Gujarat. According to mythology, there was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva named Supriya who was captured by sea serpents. Supriya and the other devotees worshipped Lord Shiva and chanted his mantras to seek his help. Lord Shiva, to rescue his devotee, defeated the sea serpents and then installed himself on the seaside at Dwarka as Nageshwar Jyotirlinga.

9. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is situated in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. According to mythology, there was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva named Kusuma who used to worship him by immersing the linga in the pond every day. However, when her son was killed, Kusuma became depressed and continued to worship Lord Shiva with sincere devotion. Seeing her devotion, Lord Shiva not only revived her son but also manifested himself as a jyotirlinga over there.

10. Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga

This Jyotirlinga is situated near Nasik in Maharashtra. This temple is believed to honour the trinity, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Visiting this temple and taking a holy dip in the Godavari is believed to grant moksha. According to legends, Gautama performed intense penance for thousands of years at the peak of Brahmagiri hill. He prayed to Lord Shiva to bring the sacred Ganga and flow it through the Trimbak hills. Ganga agreed to come down on one condition that Lord Shiva himself would stay at this place. And so, Lord Shiva manifested as the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga.

11. Baidyanath Jyotirlinga

Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is located in Jharkhand. This temple is also known as Baijnath or Baidyanath Dham. When Lord Shiva was pleased by Ravana's penance, he offered him a jyotirlinga that made him unbeatable in all three worlds when installed in Lanka. However, during his journey, Ravana could not hold the linga for too long, and he gave it to a small boy. The boy was not able to hold the weight and placed the linga on the ground. The linga is believed to have got stuck there. This linga became the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga.

12. Vishwanath Jyotirlinga

Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is located in Kashi, Uttar Pradesh. This is the place where Lord Shiva is believed to reside in his purest form. According to scriptures, when Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu were arguing over who was supreme, to resolve the issue, Lord Shiva appeared in the form of a divine pillar. This infinite pillar of light manifested as the Jyotirlinga at Kashi. Devotees believe that by visiting this temple, a person attains moksha and their sins get washed away.

Vishwanath is the place where Lord Shiva is believed to reside in his purest form (Image: Pexels)

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Each Jyotirlinga is not just a sacred site but an epicentre of spiritual energy. When devotees visit these Jyotirlingas and worship Lord Shiva in these divine forms, they build a connection with him and attain inner peace, strength and protection.