#Jyothirlinga Baidyanath

                                                      Jyothirlingas #Baidyanath

The Jyothirlingas have a significant religious, spiritual, historical and religious importance in Bharat. In addition to being a must do in the pilgrim circuit, the Jyothirlingas have a story to tell. Let us understand and appreciate the puranic stories behind these places, the history and the societal significance in the present context.

Somnath is the oldest Jyothirlinga. The temple is located in Veraval in Gujarat. (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/Jyothirlingas-somnath.html). The second Jyothirlinga is Mallikarjuna in Srisailam in present day AndhraPradesh

 (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/Jyothirlinga-mallikarjunaswamy-and.html).

We had covered the story of Mahakaaleshwar in Ujjain in MadhyaPradesh. (https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/Jyothirlinga-mahakaaleshwar.html). The fourth Jyotirlinga is at Omkareshwar.(https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/06/jyotirlinga-omkareshwar.html).

The fifth Jyothirlinga is the one at Baidhyanath is located at Deogarh in Jharkand. The place is called as Baba Baidhyanath Dam by the locals. Adishankara described Baidyanatha in his shloka

Poorvottare prajwalika nidhaane
sada vasantam girija sametam
suraasuraaradhita paada padmam
shri vaidyanaatham tamaham namaami.

 

Baidhyanath, as the name indicates is the healer or a doctor. What is the reason for this name? Lets hear the story.

 

Ravana, the king of Lanka was a great Shivabhakth. He went to Mount Kailash and did an intense penance. At some point, intent on getting the attention of Shiva he starts torturing himself. As we know, Ravana had ten heads. He did the unthinkable. He started plucking his head one by one and offering it into the fire. Imagine the kind of determination and devotion for a person to do that!!!

 

The first head went into the fire. Then the next and then the next. The Devas and the others in Kailash watched this spectacle with awe and admiration. Ravana was unmindful was the watchers and the environment. He was just focused on his mission of getting the darshan of Shiva. The ninth head was offered. The watchers were waiting in suspense. Ravana continued to chant the Shiva Tandava stothram and took his sword to his bleeding head and positioned it on the last remaining head. When he was close to cutting off the tenth head, Lord Shiva appeared in front of him with a flash.

 

Lord Shiva smiled at Ravana and touched his remaining head with his hand in blessing. The wound and the bleeding stopped and all the other heads came in place as if nothing had happened. Happy and blessed, Ravana requested Lord Shiva for the Kamna lingam and also the presence of the Lord in his country Lanka. Shiva blessed him once again and gave him the Lingam and bid him to take it straight to his land and not stop anywhere in between or place the lingam o the ground. Ravana, given his strength and powers did not think that was a problem and readily agreed.

 

Taking leave of Lord Shiva, Ravana left Kailash contented with the Kamna Lingam. The Devas who were watching the entire spectacle were now worried. As it is, Ravana had many boons and was a powerful Asura. If he is further strengthened with the presence of the Kamna Lingam and Lord Shiva in Lanka, defeating him in any battle would be impossible. Ravana knew this very well too. The Devas thought that this will only make him more cruel and arrogant.

 

They enlisted the help of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu agreed that making Ravana more powerful was not a desirable thing to do. He directed Varuna (the God of rains) to enter Ravana’s body. When Varuna did enter Ravana’s body, Ravana felt very heavy and had the need to relieve himself. He was half way from Mount Kailash. Ravana decided he could not wait till he reached his land which required many more hours of flying. He decided to relieve himself on the way.

 

Ravana, being the bhakth, did not want to do his ablutions while carrying a holy Shivalingam in his hand. He descended and looked for someone to hold the Kamalingam for him, so that he does not break Lord Shiva’s direction of placing it on the ground. Lord Vishnu, in the meanwhile took the form of a shepherd and was minding cattle in the vicinity. Ravana called to the shepherd and told him that he needed to urinate and wanted the shepherd to hold the Shivalingam for him for some time. But he told Ravana “I can only hold this for a while as I have to take my herd back and it is getting dark. If you don’t come back by sunset, I will leave the Lingam here.” Ravana was confident that he would be back fast and he agreed to this condition.

 

The effect of Lord Varuna on Ravana’s body meant that it took him longer than normal to relieve himself. By the time, the sun had set. Once done, Ravana came running to get the Kamnalingam back from the shepherd. By that time, the shepherd had left, leaving the Lingam on the ground. Try as he might, Ravana could not move the Kamnalingam from the ground. It is believed that the efforts of Ravana in moving the lingam had partially damaged the lingam.

 

(It might be interesting for our readers to know that a similar story is there about Ravana and the Shivalingam for the temple at Gokarna. It is said that the lingam got pulled at the time of Ravana’s effort to take it off the ground led to the elongated shape of the lingam making it look like cow’s ear – Go karna ).

 

A disheartened and disappointed Ravana went back to his land empty handed. The Devas were much relieved and thanked Lord Vishnu for his timely intervention. It is believed that Brahma, Vishnu and the other celestials built the first temple at Baidyanath. Later on ofcourse, the temple received patronage from many of the royals of that area. The temple was also administered by the British.

 

The temple is a standing testimony of this story and the Shiva there is believed to be a great healer. Millions visit this temple every year with their prayers and offering. The temple is particularly busy in the Shravan month. Pilgrims carry the water of River Ganges from Ajgaivinath a 100 kms away. Finally devotion and belief is what keeps Bharathiyas going and Baidyanath is one such link in this glorious tradition.