Nageshwar Jyotirlinga: The Divine and 10th Dham of Mahadev

Do you know which God is popular as DEVON KE DEV?

Yes, you get it right, its Lord Mahadev. Also, he is NAGON KE DEV (The Lord Of Serpents)?

Lord Shiva, the extremely powerful and supreme God has so many names. 

Today, we have come up to share one of the 12 Jyotirlinga of Mahadev. Thus, this divine place is Nageshwar Jyotirlinga. This popular pilgrimage offers visitors a mesmerizing insight and attracts everyone who comes here and seeks the blessings of Shiva.

Let’s start this blog by praying to Mahadev, Har Har Mahadev..!!

The History and Story of Nageshwar

Do you want to know the beautiful story of Nageshwar Jyotirlinga?

Well, here we have the story according to the Holy Shiv Purana..

Story of Nageshwar Temple

Once upon a time, there was a Demon Daruk and his wife’s name was Daruka. Later on, they used to live in a beautiful forest situated in the west, close to the sea. The people who live in this forest were very sad due to the violence of those two demons. One day, they visited Rishi Orva and told him their sorrow and prayed to protect them. 

Rishi Orva said- You people should not worry like this and send them away, then Rishi Orva started praying. The gods attacked the demons and killed thousands of them. Seeing the torture, Daruka remembered his boon and lifted the city of demons. He placed it in the middle of the ocean and freed the demons from fear. 

One day, Daruka came back to earth while wandering. She saw that many people were coming to earth from the sea in a boat. Daruka went and informed the demons that countless people were in the sea. The demons caught those people and imprisoned them. 

Among these, a Lord Shiva Devotee Supriya established a Shivalinga in the prison itself and started worshiping it. After Seeing her, other people also started worshiping and spent a lot of time worshiping Lord Shiva. The demons did not understand which God they were worshiping. One day, a messenger of the Demon saw that Supriya is praying to Lord Shiva and told Daruk. 

Daruk went to the jail and said to Supriya- merchant! Tell me the truth, which god are you praying to or else I will kill you. Supriya did not enclose anything and an angry demon Daruk ordered to kill her.  Supriya folded her hands, closed her eyes and started meditating on Lord Shiva and prayed to him to protect her.

Lord Shiva Blessed Supriya

Lord Shiva appeared there instantly after hearing the call of his devotee. He picked up the Pashupat weapon and destroyed those demons. Lord Shiva said- O Supriya! From today, this forest is free from demons. Now, be fearless forever, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, etc., who follow the path of religion will live in this forest. 

Goddess Parvati Blessed Daruka

Moreover, the demoness Daruka started Praying to Goddess Parvati. After that, Mata Parvati appeared as she was impressed with her. Daruka prayed to Maa, Please protect us. Then Goddess Parvati said to Lord Shiva- O Nath! Before your words come true at the end of the era, Tamasi creation should also exist. Daruka will rule here and it’s my duty to protect him. 

Lord Shiva said- O dear! Your wish will definitely get fulfilled. I will stay here to protect my devotees to make sure that no one can harm them. The person who follows the path of religion and sees me with love and devotion will become a Chakravarti king. Since then, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati settled there as Nageshwar and Nageshwari. 

Let’s know the story of Nageshwar according to the sacred Rudra Samhita of Shiva Purana. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga has the supremacy to protect the worshipers from all the poisons, specifically snake venom. This is another reason that the temple is called Nageshwar, which means “Nagon Ke Devta”. 

The Mesmerizing view of Nageshwar Jyotirlinga

The Architecture

First, we should talk about the Architecture of the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga. This beautiful temple is an exceptional blend of skill and values because its physical beauty is charming. The theoretical representation behind this structure makes it more interesting. The base of the temple is huge and has no rock layers underneath. Consequently, all the walls are made from RCC with a coating of anti-rust chemicals. Serene Porbandar stone and feather-light construction covers the outer layers of the temple.

Do you know what makes the structure captivating?

Also, the spiritual beauty of the temple can be seen through its design. This Jyotirlinga structure has the shape of the Human Body.

Besides the temple, there is a beautiful lake Gopi Talav Tirth..

The Views inside the Temple

Okay, let’s get into the temple..

The shape of the temple symbolizes a Human body structure and is based on the Sayanam (sleeping) posture. 

The first thing you will see is the Mahadwar, which is the feet of a human body. It is because we have to enter through our feet.

Next, the entrance is positioned between the two idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha. These idols indicates the hands of the human body. 

Then, you will see the Sabha Mandap, a hall that has prayer seats. Therefore, we can consider these as the stomach and chest of the body. 

The Beautiful Shivlinga

Now, mesmerize yourself and witness the divinity of the Garbha Gruha where the Holy Shivalinga resides (Symbolizing the head). Additionally, it is adorned with small chakras that look like a 3 Mukhi Rudraksha. 

The Huge Idol of Lord Shiva

A captivating thing about this temple is the huge idol of Lord Shiva, and stands at 125 feet. Thus, this is among the massive idols of Lord Shiva worldwide.

Interesting Facts about Nageshwar

• The beautiful Nageshwar Temple is more popular than Nagnath Temple. It is the ancient name of the Jyotirlinga and it is the 10^th Jyotirlinga among the 12 located in India.
• The Shivlinga of Nageshwar has a silver snake that rests on its top. Additionally, it is always covered with a silver cloth that emphasizes the devoutness of the structure.
• On the back side of the Shivalinga, there is an idol of Parvati maa, a very admired goddess in Hinduism. Make sure that you pray to the Goddess before stepping out of the temple.
• According to the ancient belief, meditating in this temple gives you freedom from all spiritual and physical venoms. These venoms include sin, anger, temptation, and disruption. 
• Once you visit Nageshwar, you don’t need to be scared of snakes. It is because you can never get any harm from snakes.
• Nageshwar Temple is located on the pathway between Gomati Dwarka and the Beyt Dwarka Island on the seaside of Saurashtra. 

Important timings of the Temple

The temple is open from 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM every day. Again, it opens at 5 PM and then closes by 9:30 PM. Let’s know the Aarti Timings:

How to Reach Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple?

By Airline:

The nearest airport to Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is Jamnagar Airport. It is approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) away. Also, the place is well-connected to the major cities. You will easily find taxis, private cars, or cabs from Jamnagar Airport to reach Nageshwar temple.

Also, visitors can take a flight from Ahmedabad Airport (440 kilometers from Nageshwar). You can also take a flight from Rajkot Airport (283 kilometers).

By Trains:

The Nearest Railway Station is Dwarka Railway Station, which is located at a distance of 18 kilometers. It has good connectivity with major cities in India.

From Dwarka, you can take Auto rickshaws and taxis to reach this Jyotirlinga, or else you can take public buses. 

Additionally, you can get trains from Ahmedabad Railway Station or Rajkot Railway Station and then continue to Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.

By Buses:

The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) operates several buses to Dwarka from all the nearest cities. So, you can take a bus to Dwarka and reach Nageshwar Mandir. Moreover, private buses are also available to Dwarka from major cities, like Ahmedabad and Rajkot. 

A Step towards Spirituality

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is a must visit for every Shiva devotee as this beautiful temple upholds great significance. If you are planning a trip to Dwarka then make sure to add Nageshwar in your list.

Do you know that just a prayer to Nageshwar will protect you from all the worldly venoms? 

That’s true, this Jyotirlinga of Gujarat is peaceful, full of positive energy. Nageshwar Mahadev is your guardian angel who is gonna protect you from all the bad things. 

Just plan your spiritual trip and take the blessing of the supreme Lord Nagnath..

Also Read: Somnath Jyotirlinga: Explore the Sacred 1st Jyotirlinga

FAQs:

Q: Where is Nageshwar Jyotirlinga situated?

A: Nageshwar is situated on a route between Dwarka city and Beyt Dwarka Island on the coast of Saurashtra, Gujarat.

Q: How many Jyotirlingas are there in Gujarat?

A: In Gujarat, there are two Jyotirlingas of Lord Mahadev- one is Nageshwar Jyotirlinga and the other is Somnath Jyotirlinga. 

Q: Is there any huge idol of Lord Shiva outside Nageshwar?

A: Yes, there is a tall statue of Shiva in Nageshwar, and the height of this idol is 125 ft. 

Q: Is Nageshwar one of the 12 Jyotirlingas?

A: Absolutely.. Nageshwar is one among the 12 Jyotirlingas of Mahadev and it is considered as the 10^th Jyotirliga.