Nageshvara Jyotirlinga Temple is a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located near Dwarka, Gujarat, India. It is one of the legendary shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana and holds a special place among the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas. The presiding deity, Shiva, is worshipped here as Nageshvara, the Lord of Serpents.
This guide delves into the profound spiritual significance of the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga, exploring its powerful legends—especially the tale of the demon Daruk and the devotee Supriya—its vital role in the sacred Jyotirlinga tradition, and the intriguing historical debate surrounding the actual location of the ancient Darukavana forest, where this divine manifestation of Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is believed to have appeared.
The Origin of the Jyotirlinga
- Shiva Purana: Brahma-Vishnu Supremacy Debate: According to the Shiv Mahapuraan, Brahma (the Creator) and Vishnu (the Preserver) once had a disagreement about which of them were supreme. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as an immeasurable pillar of light, the Jyotirlinga. Vishnu and Brahma parted company to determine the extent of each end of the pillar. Brahma, who had set off upward, lied that he had discovered the upper end of the pillar, but Vishnu, who had gone in the direction of the base of the pillar, admitted that he had not. Shiva then appeared as a second Jyotirlinga and cursed Brahma, telling him that he would have no place in ceremonies.
- Jyotirlinga as Supreme Reality: The Jyotirlinga is the supreme indivisible reality from which Shiva appears. Jyothirlinga shrines commemorate this time when Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. Originally there were believed to be sixty-four jyotirlingas, while twelve are considered to be especially auspicious and holy. Each of the twelve sites takes the name of the presiding deity and each is considered a separate manifestation of Shiva. At all these sites, the primary deity is a lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing Shiva’s infinite nature.
- The Twelve Jyotirlingas: The twelve jyothirlinga are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Himalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath at Deoghar in Jharkhand, Nageshvara in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
The Legend of Darukavana and Lord Shiva’s Manifestation
A captivating narrative in the Shiva Purana explains the manifestation of the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga.
- Demon Daruk’s Tyranny: A demon named Daruk attacked a Shiva devotee named Supriya and imprisoned him along with many others in his city of Darukavana, a city under the sea inhabited by sea snakes and demons. Darukavana is an ancient name of a forest in India.
- Supriya’s Devotion and Shiva’s Appearance: At the urgent exhortations of Supriya, the prisoners started to chant the holy mantra of Shiva, “Om Namaha Shivay”. Immediately thereafter Lord Shiva appeared and the demon was vanquished, later residing there in the form of a Jyotirlinga. The demon had a wife, a demoness named Daruka.
- Demoness Daruka’s Boon and Darukavana Forest: Daruka worshipped Mata Parvati. As a result of her penance and devotion, Mata Parvati enabled her to master the forest where she performed her devotions, and renamed the forest ‘Darukavana’ in her honour. Wherever Daruka went the forest followed her. In order to save the demons of Darukavana from the punishment of the gods, Daruk summoned up the power Parvati had given her. She then moved the entire forest into the sea where they continued their campaign against the hermits, kidnapping people and keeping them confined in their new lair under the sea, which was how that great Shiva devotee, Supriya, had wound up there.
- Supriya’s Lingam and Shiva’s Intervention: The arrival of Supriya caused a revolution. He set up a lingam and made the prisoners recite the mantra Om Namaha Shivay in honour of Shiva while he prayed to the lingam. The demons’ response to the chanting was to attempt to kill Supriya, though they were thwarted when Shiva appeared and handed him a divine weapon that saved his life. Daruka and the demons were defeated and Parvati saved the remaining demons. The lingam that Supriya had set up was called Nagesha; it is the tenth lingam. Shiva once again assumed the form of a Jyotirlinga with the name Nageshwar, while the Goddess Parvati was known as Nageshwari. Lord Shiva then announced that he would show the correct path to those who would worship him.
The Enigma of Darukavana: Location Controversy
The actual location of the legendary forest of Darukavana, where the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga manifested, is still widely debated.
- Shiva Mahapurana’s Clue: Shiva Mahapurana indicates that the location was on the Western (Arabian) Sea. In Kotirudra Samhita, Chapter 29, the shloka states, “पश्चिमे सागरे तस्य वनं सर्वसमृद्धिमत् । योजनानां षोडशभिर्विस्तृतं सर्वतो दिशम् ॥ ४ ॥” (On the western sea, there is a very rich forest, sixteen yojanas wide in all directions). No other important clues indicate the precise location of the Jyotirlinga. ‘Darukavana’ on the Western Sea remains the only definitive clue.
- Candidate 1: Jageshwar, Almora (Uttarakhand): This site is commonly identified as Nageshvara Jyotirlinga due to several factors. The name Darukavana, named after Queen Daruka, is possibly derived from daruvana (forest of deodar trees, or simply, forest of wood), and is thought to exist in Almora. Deodar (daru vriksha) is found abundantly only in the western Himalayas, not in peninsular India. Deodar trees have been associated with Lord Shiva in ancient Hindu texts. Hindu sages used to reside and perform meditation in deodar forests to please Lord Shiva. Also, according to the ancient treatise Prasadmandanam, “हिमाद्रेरूत्तरे पार्श्वे देवदारूवनं परम् पावनं शंकरस्थानं तत्र् सर्वे शिवार्चिताः।” (On the northern side of the Himalayas, there is a most sacred deodar forest, a Shiva abode, where all worship Shiva).
- Candidate 2: Nageshwar Temple, Dwarka (Gujarat): The written name of Darukavana could be misread as ‘Dwarakavana,’ which would point to the Nageswara temple at Dwarka. However, no forest is in this part of Dwarka that finds mention in any of the Indian epics. The narratives of Shri Krishna, mention Somanatha and the adjoining Prabhasa tirtha, but not Nageswara or Darukavana in Dwarka. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is situated in the Daarukavanam forest in Gujarat. This temple is located on the route between Dwarka city and Beyt Dwarka Island on the coast of Saurashtra in Gujarat. 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. The sacred Shivling is carved from Dwarka Shila stone and features small chakras. It takes the distinctive shape of a Tri-Mukhi Rudraksha. The Shivling faces south while the temple faces east, a positioning that has its own mythological significance related to the devotee Saint Namdev.
- Candidate 3: Aundha, Maharashtra: This location is suggested based on a verse in the Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra (6) by Shankaracharya, who praised this Jyotirlinga as Naganath. The shloka states, “Yamye sadange nagaretiramye vibhushitangam vividhaishcha bhogai Sadbhaktimuktipradamishamekam shrinaganatham sharanam prapadye” (In the south, in the beautiful city of Sadanga, adorned with various delights, the one Lord Naganath, who grants liberation to true devotees, I seek refuge in). This could be taken to mean that it is located in the south [‘yamye’] at the town of ‘Sadanga’, which was the ancient name of Aundh in Maharashtra, south of the Jageswara shrine in Uttarakhand and west of Dwarka Nageshvara.
Planning Your Pilgrimage to Dwarka’s Nageshwar
- Location and Festivals: The Nageshwar Temple is located in Dwarka, Gujarat. The main festival celebrated here is Maha Shivaratri, which takes place in February/March.
- Nearest Airport: Jamnagar Airport is the nearest airport to Dwarka, about 137 km away. The nearest airport to Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is Jamnagar (JGA).
- Nearest Railway Station: Dwarka Railway Station and Okha Railway Station are the nearest railway stations. Dwarka is well connected by rail to major cities in India. Dwarka Railway Station is approximately 17 km from the Nageshwar Temple.
- Proximity to Other Holy Sites: Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is in close proximity to Dwarka city, home to the revered Dwarkadhish Temple (dedicated to Lord Krishna). It is also well-connected to Somnath Temple, another prominent Jyotirlinga in Gujarat.
Nageshvara Jyotirlinga stands as a powerful testament to Lord Shiva’s eternal protection and boundless compassion, embodying the enduring spirit of devotion in Hinduism. Despite the historical debates surrounding the exact location of the mythical Darukavana, the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga Temple in Dwarka, Gujarat, serves as a revered focal point for countless devotees. Its captivating legend of Shiva’s divine intervention to save his devotee Supriya from the clutches of demon Daruk, intricately woven into the fabric of the Shiva Purana, underscores its immense significance as one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas.
As seekers embark on their pilgrimage—whether to Dwarka or other claimed sites—the essence of Nageshvara Jyotirlinga remains constant: a divine reminder that faith, even in the darkest of times, can invoke the supreme presence of Mahadev and lead to liberation.For those interested in understanding how such sacred sites reflect ancient temple architecture and cultural continuity across India, UNESCO’s resources provide invaluable context to the architectural and spiritual heritage surrounding Jyotirlinga shrines.
Frequently Asked Questions
1: What is the primary legend of Nageshvara Jyotirlinga?
The primary legend of Nageshvara Jyotirlinga, as told in the Shiva Purana, describes how Lord Shiva manifested to save his devotee Supriya from the demon Daruk and his demoness wife Daruka in the forest of Darukavana. After vanquishing the demons, Shiva resided there as the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga.
2: Why is the location of Nageshvara Jyotirlinga debated?
The location of Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is debated because ancient texts like the Shiva Purana only provide general clues, such as its location in ‘Darukavana’ on the ‘Western Sea’. This has led to three prominent sites——Jageshwar in Uttarakhand, Nageshwar in Dwarka, Gujarat, and Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra—all claiming to be the authentic location, each with supporting arguments from scriptures and local traditions. Scholars continue to study these claims through detailed archaeological research on Indian temples, which sheds light on regional architectural styles and religious evolution.
3: What does ‘Darukavana’ mean and where is it possibly located?
‘Darukavana’ means “forest of deodar trees” or “forest of wood”. While the Shiva Purana mentions it on the Western Sea, the presence of deodar trees (Daru vriksha) primarily in the Western Himalayas has led some to identify it with Jageshwar in Almora, Uttarakhand. The name might also be a misreading of ‘Dwarakavana’ (pointing to Dwarka), or it could refer to Aundha in Maharashtra based on the Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra.
4: What is the significance of chanting ‘Om Namaha Shivay’ at Nageshvara?
In the legend of Nageshvara, the devotee Supriya, along with other prisoners, chanted ‘Om Namaha Shivay’ to invoke Lord Shiva’s help against the demon Daruk. This act of devotion led to Shiva’s manifestation as the Jyotirlinga. Therefore, chanting this mantra at Nageshvara is considered highly potent for seeking Shiva’s protection and liberation from troubles.
5: Is Nageshvara Jyotirlinga near Dwarkadhish Temple?
Yes, the Nageshwar Temple in Dwarka, Gujarat, which is one of the sites identified as the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga, is located approximately 16-18 km from the main city of Dwarka. Pilgrims often visit both temples as part of their spiritual journey in Dwarka.
For further exploration of Gujarat’s rich spiritual heritage, delve into [Dwarkadhish Temple] or explore [Somnath Temple], another prominent Jyotirlinga.
For further exploration of India’s spiritual heritage, delve into other [Jyotirlingas]
For the latest updates on Ancient History, cultural insights, spiritual journeys, and other global events, visit mahakaltimes.com first.
