JYOTIRLINGA VS SHIVALINGA

 

JYOTIRLINGA VS SHIVALINGA

 

It is very common parlour the word ‘JYOTIRLINGA and SHIVALINGA’ and both are interchangeably used  whereas there is a vast difference between the two word. All Jyotirlinga are Shivalinga but all Shivalinga are not Jyotirlinga.

Linga is the symbol of lord Shiva which normally all people are worshiped in temple or house. But it is difficult to worship “LINGA” is house and its depend on Kundali or calculation of Astrology of a person.

The word “JYOTIRLINGA” is derived from two Sanskrit word i.e. “JYOTIR” which means light, flame or radiance and “LINGA” which means sign or image.

Jyotirlinga is said to emerge from the ground spontaneously and a temple over it is erected after it is located. All Linga which are emerged from the ground spontaneously, are not consider as Jyotirlinga. The said Linga is also auspicious and holy for Hindu but not like as Jyotirlinga.

There are 64 Jyotirlinga in India as well as in earth but out of 64 Linga only 12 Jyotirlinga are very auspicious and holy for Hindu religious because all these 12 jyotirlingas have been attached to Shiva Purana and have great mythology while other have not been mentioned but ancient temple emerge from ground spontaneously.

There are only 12 jyotirlinga spread over this continent having own importance at the place it has emerged whereas Shivalinga is available all over in our country. According to Shiva Purana, the following 12 Jyotirlinga are:

‘Somnath at Gir Somnath in Gujarat;

Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh;

Mahakaleswer at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh;

Omkareshwar at Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh;

Kedarnath at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand;

Bhimashankar at Pune in Maharashtra;

Vishwanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh;

Trimbakeswr at Nashik in Maharashtra;

Nageshwar at Daarukavabam in Gujarat;

Baidyanath or Vaidyanath at Deoghar in Jharkhand;

Rameshwaram at Rameshwaram Island in Tamil Nadu; and

Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra.

Shiva Purana says that all the above places, the soul of  Lord Shiva have been existed. and all these Lingas are consider as direct image of lord Shiva.

Mahakaleswer at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh is considered as most sacred Jyotirlinga then others but Somnath at Gir Somnath in Gujarat is considered to be the first Jyotirlinga among others.

Shivalinga is two type i.e. (i) emerge from the ground spontaneously ( generally call as created by nature) (ii) manmade Shivalinga.

Shivalinga emerge from the ground spontaneously is also two type (i) the linga or place established by lord Shiva as per Shiva Purana, (ii) emerge from the ground spontaneously and known after some days by magical incidents.

There are 12 Jyotirlinga and Jyotirlingas are established by lord Shiva as per Purana such Rameshwaram. This temple was established by lord Ram but the name of temple was given by Lord Shiva. It is also stated in the Purans that lord Shiva was enlighten as  ‘JYOTI’ in this temple.

Mahakaleswer temple was also establish lord Shiva to protect Brahmanas from demon King Dushan and this temple name was also given by lord Shiva.

According to Shiva Purana, these 12 Shivalinga are ancient ShivaLinga than other Shivalinga. Therefore these 12 Jyotirlinga are very auspicious than other Shivalinga.

But Shivalinga is created and established in the temple constructed beforehand for this purpose

 

We worship shiva in both the forms with the same devotion and sanctity. According to Mythology one person should travel the Jyotirlinga once in his life time.