Jyotirlinga (lit. "bright linga") The deity
Shiva's initial incarnation is represented as a massive pillar of fire that
spans beyond the sky and below the ground in various legendary traditions.
The gods Brahma and Vishnu attempt but fail to locate the
top and bottom of this pilar.
The form of Shiva appears from the pillar of light and
praises them after they recognize their failure.
Shiva's followers (bhakta) believe that there are twelve
locations in India where this jyotirlinga manifested; these twelve locations
are regarded as immensely sacred, and Shiva is believed to be present at each
of them.
The dominant picture at each of these locations is a linga,
a pillar-shaped figure that is a symbolic manifestation of Shiva.
Each of these lingas is said to be a distinct incarnation of
Shiva, and each of these twelve places is named after the linga that presides
over it.
Somnath and Nageshvar in Gujarat;
Kedarnath in the Himalaya Mountains;
Vishvanath in Benares;
Vaidyanath in Bihar;
Mahakaleshvar in the central Indian city of Ujjain;
Omkareshvar in Madhya Pradesh;
Bhimashankar, Ghrneshvar, and Tryambakeshvar in Maharashtra;
and Rameshvar in Tamil Nadu are the other eleven manifestations of Shiva.
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