Nageshwar - The Jyothirlinga Kshetra (Darukavana)
Among the holy places of Dwaraka outside the Jagat Mandir, Nageshwar is one of the most revered places worth visiting where the presiding Deity Lord Shiva is in the form of a Jyothirlinga. It is said and believed to be one of the Dwadasa Jyothirlinga Kshetras, twelve most sacred places for worshiping Lord Shiva. It is located at a distance of 15 km from Dwaraka on the way to Bhet Dwaraka.
According to a popular legend behind the origin of this Kshetra it is said that, this place was originally known as Darukavana referred to as ‘Nagesham Darukavane’. There used to live a demon called Daruka in this place who used to tyrannize people on their pilgrimage and make them his captives. On one such occasion an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva by name Supriya was waylaid by Daruka while she was travelling in a boat and held her in captive along with others. Supriya being a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva started praying Him with the holy Panchakshari Mantra Om! Namah! Sivaayah! When Daruka attempted to kill her, Lord Shiva instantly appeared and vanquished the demon and manifested there in the form of a Jyothirlinga.
As per another legend it is said that, the Jyothirlinga got revealed by Pandavas while residing in this region during their exile. Their cows used to go to a river in that place daily to drink water. After drinking water their milk used to flow automatically from their udders into a river. Bheemasena happened to see this and immediately reported it to his elder brother Dharmaraja. Assuming that there must be some shrine in the river, Pandavas entered the river to locate the shrine. They found that the center of the river was so hot that the water there was boiling. At the intervention of Bheemasena the river parted its way revealing the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. It seemed that the cows were offering milk in prayer.
Unlike normal Shiva Linga which will be black in colour that resembles a pillar rounded at the top, the one that is enshrined at Nageshwar is unique in its form and colour. It is made from a stone popularly known as Dwarka Shila (Chakrankitha) with small imprints of a disc. Chakrankitha stones are found only in Dwarka Kshetra which is hardly 15 km from Nageshwar. The Shiva Linga enshrined in an underground sanctum is more or less in the shape of a three faced oval Rudraksha. Behind the Shiva Linga there is an idol of Goddess Parvati known as Nageshwari.
Another unique feature at this Shiva Kshetra is that the Shiva Linga faces south while the Gomukha faces east. Usually the Shiva Linga and Gomukha face in the same direction but not so in the Nageshwar temple. It seems initially both faced east direction. According to a legend once an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva by name Namdev was singing hymns in front of the Lord. Other devotees who were obstructed from Lord's view asked him to move aside. Namdev then stood to the south of the Shiva Linga. To the astonishment of everyone the Shiva Linga turned southward to face Namdev while the Gomukha continued to point eastwards.
Jyotirlinga enshrined in the temple is known as Nageshwar Mahadev and it attracts thousands of pilgrims all round the year. This powerful Jyotirlinga symbolizes protection from all poisons. It is said that those who pray to the Nageshwar Shiva Linga becomes free from poison of both the body and the mind.
To get a close darshan of the Jyothirlinga and to perform abhishekam the male persons are required to wear a dhoti. On festival occasions like Maha Shivarathri, Kartheeka Masam, many devotees come from far off places to seek the divine blessings and there will be a big rush of pilgrims on those days. A 25 m tall statue of a sitting Lord Shiva and a large garden with a pond are major attractions of this rather serene place.
It is also believed that this place was once a Naga Kshetra (city of Snakes) and Lord Shiva was worshiped here by Vasuki the king of Cobras for a long time. Thenceforth, Lord Shiva manifested in the form of a Jyothirlinga at this place came to be known as Nageshwar.
There is a controversy on the location of the epic forest Darukavana to identify the location of Nageshwara Jyothirlinga (Nagesham Darukavane) with two other places contesting viz…Almora in Uttarakhand and Aundha in Maharastra. Whatever may be the controversy, Nageshwar located on the way to Bhet Dwarka from Dwarka in the land of Lord Sri Krishna, with its unique positioning of the Shiva Linga is reverentially worshiped as a powerful Shiva Kshetra.
Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
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