Panchabhoota Lingas & Jyotirlingas ( Why no Panchabhoota Linga figures as a Jyotirlinga? )

P.natarajan.

( note:This article is in sequel to a query shown within brackets, raised by a reader on my earlier article on Panchabhoota Sthalas )  -  pn

Maha Shiva Purana tells how Shiva Lingam is worshipped. Panchabhoota Lingas represent the five elements of Nature namely Prithvi, Appu, Vayu, Fire and Akash. Ekambareswarar Temple in Kanchipuram is Prithvi Sthala where the Lingam is ‘swayambhu’ and appeared from the Earth. In Thiruvanaikaval, we worship Jambu Lingeswarar and there is a water spring beneath the Shivalinga. The flickering of the light inside the Sanctum  shows that ‘Vayu’ element is enshrined in the Shivalinga in Kalahasti Temple. The appearance of jyothi atop the hills in the month of Kartik in Thiruvannamalai tells the significance of element fire enshrined in the Linga. Thiruchitrambalam is where Shiva performed the cosmic dance of bliss and the place is worshipped as Aakash-Sthala’.

Jambukeswarar Temple

Shiva Purana tells that the origin of Jyotirlingas is different.from Panchabhoota Sthalas. The Jyotirlinga shrines are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light - each considered as different manifestation of Shiva. There were beliefs that 64 Jyotirlingas existed while 12 of them were considered as auspicious and holy. They are the traditional ‘Dwadasa Jyotir Lingams’. The primary image at all these 12 sites is a Lingam representing the beginningless and endless stambha, symbolizing the infinite status of Shiva.

Stambha spelt as skambha is believed to be a cosmic column - stambha functions as a bond which joins the heaven (Swarga) with prithvi (Earth).Stambha also refers to flagstaffs called Dhwaja Stambha or Kirti Stambha to commemorate victory. It is well known that King Ashoka erected  a stambha viz. Ashok Pillar which stands as a symbol of victory.

The origin of Jyotirlinga started with a contest between Brahma and Vishnu in terms of supremacy in the task of creation. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light , in short as a jyotirlinga on the night of Arudra Star and announced whoever finds the source of the jyoti would be declared as superior. Brahma went upward to find the end of jyoti, Vishnu went downwards (patala). Both could not trace the source of Light. Vishnu admitted his failure whereas Brahma lied.  Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that there would be no temple for him whereas Vishnu would be worshipped for eternity.

                                                   

                                                                           

                                                                   Dwadasa Jyotirlinga

The Jyotirlinga shrines are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. Each place is considered as different manifestation of Shiva. The temple- sites of the dwadasa jyothirlinga are :      (1) Somnath (rebuilt six times @ Prabhas Patan in Saurashtra n Gujarat)i, (2) Mallikarjuna in Srisailam in A.P. located in a mountain on the River Krishna (3) Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain or Avanti in Gujarat ( the only one ‘Swayambhu’ of the 12 Jyotirlingas to be so and only one facing South and one temple to have Shree Yantra perched upside down in the ceiling of Garbha Graha,  (4) Mamleshwar, Omkareshwar in M.P. on an island in Narmada River (5) Parli-Vaidyanath in  Maharashtra, (6) Bhimashankar in Sahayadrei range in Maharashtra, (7) Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, (8) Nageshwar in Dwarka  in Gujarat, (9) Kashi-Vishwanath in UP, (10) Trimbakeshwar near Nashik, (11) Kedarnath in Uttarakhand in the northmost and is nestled in the snow clad Himalayas, accessible only by foot and open only for 6 months in a year. (12) Ghrishneshwar in Aurangabad, Maharashtra)

Ethani Jyotirlingani sayam pratha: pattennara: !

Saptha janma kritam papam smaranena vinasyathi !!

One who recites these jyotirlingas every evening and morning, he is relieved of all sins committed in the past seven lives. One who visits these, gets all his wishes fulfilled.

(Source : Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Sloka )  -  Om Namah :  Shivaya , Namah : Shivaya !

pn

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