Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga is one among twelve Jyotirlingas and one of the 51 shakti peethas. This is one of the ancient sacred abodes of Lord Shiva. There is a dispute regarding its exact location. Many say its location is at Deogarh, Jharkhand. But some of them say it’s at Parli, Maharashtra and some say it’s at Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh.
According to Shiva Mahapuran, it is mentioned as “Baidyanatham Chithabhoomau” here the word “Chithabhoomau” possibly refers the ancient name of the location of Vaidyanathan, interpreting it with present location, it is said Deoghar which is located in Nort-East part of the country. Also the word “Chithabhoomau” means the place where corpses are burnt in short funeral place.
Myths and Beliefs of Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga:
- Devotees who visit Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga must visit Yogeshwari Devi temple located in Ambejogai.
- According to the mythology Daksha yagna and Sati self-immolation, it is the holy place where “Heart” fell down.
The reason behind this myth is:
A marriage between Lord Vaidyanath and Goddess Yogeshwari was fixed. But by the time the marriage party reached the wedding place, the auspicious time had passed. As a result member of marriage party turned into statues.
It is also called the place where Amrit Manthan (Churning for Nectar) was done. When gods and demons started churning the ocean, Amrit and dhanwantari (14 gems) emerged. When demons tried to grab Amrit, Lord Vishnu hid the Amrit in the form of Maya (beautiful lady) and dhanwantari in shiv linga. When demons tried to take dhanwantari, there were flames by their touch. When the same thing was done by gods with devotion, there was nector flow. That is why people still touch the shivlinga with any basis of caste, creed or colour.
In another context, Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga was covered with dense forest where it is filled abundantly with medicinal plants. There was a saint named Vaidyanath (he who is expert in using medicinal herbs). He used to worship Lord Shiva with devotion, once lord appeared and blessed with a boon to stay permanently in the form of Linga. Hence it is believed devotees who visit this place and touch the linga with devotion will be free from all kinds of diseases.
Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga place is located between Ujjain and Kanyakumari also known as Kantipur (madhyarekha vaijayanti)
Places to visit near Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga:
Mount Meru: Place where Lord Vishnu destroyed a demon named Mahdu kaitabh.
Harihar Tirtha: It is located on the southern side of the temple. Devotees usually bring holy water for performing abhisheka.
Markandeya Tirtha: It is located on the eastern side of the temple. It is a place where Markandeya obtained a boon from Lord Shiva. Markendeya was a devotee of Lord Shiva, he had a short life span because of his father’s boon. He started worshipping lord when his time has come to leave this planet; he was caught under the clutches of Yama. He got released by the grace of lord and the pond there was named for his devotion.
Zurle Gopinath: Lord Vishnu’s temple.
Ganesh temple, Narayan mount, Kalika Temple etc..
How to reach:
Air: The nearest airport is at Patna which is about 281km away from the temple
Rail: Baidyanath Dham is the nearest point
Road: It is well connected with all major cities like Calcutta 337 km, Shimultala 53 km, Dumka 67 km, Giridih 112km, etc.
You find regular buses floating from Bhagalpur, Ranchi, Gaya, etc..
You also find taxis and cycle rickshaws.
