Baba Baidyanath Dham Jyotirlinga Temple / Vaidyanatha Jyotirlinga Temple
The Vaidyanatha temple, also called Baba Vaidyanath Dham is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It is located in Deoghar, in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand, India.
The Vaidyanatha temple, also called Baba Vaidyanath Dham is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Deoghar, in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand, India. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and considered to be the most revered places where Shiva lives.
The temple complex comprises the central shrine of Baba Baidyanath, housing the revered Dham, along with additional 21 other temples.
According to Hindu beliefs, it is said that the demon king Ravana worshipped Shiva at this location to gain divine blessings, which he used to cause chaos and destruction tin the world. Ravana offered his ten heads as a symbol of sacrifice to Lord Shiva. Pleased with this gesture, Lord Shiva descended Ravana's injuries. As Lord Shiva acted as a doctor, he is also referred to as Vaidya ("doctor"). The temple is named after this aspect of Shiva.
Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage for the devotees of Shiva, known as Kanvarias (कांवड़िया) or "Bhole" (भोले). They visit the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Ajgaibinath, and Sultanganj in Bihar to collect the sacred waters of the Ganges. Millions of people gather holy water from the Ganga and carry it as an offering for hundreds of miles to the Baidyanath Temple in Jharkhand.
History Of Baidyanath / Vaidyanatha Jyotirlinga Temple
According to the legends, Ravana was performing penance in the Himalayan region to appease Lord Shiva. He offered nine of his heads as an offering to Lord Shiva. As he was to sacrifice his tenth head, Lord Shiva appeared before him and expressed satisfaction with the offering, Then, Shiva asked what boon he desired. Ravana asked to take the "Kamna Linga' to the island of Lanka and expressed his desire to take Lord Shiva from Kailash to Lanka.
Lord Shiva agreed to Ravana's request but with a condition. He said that if the lingam was placed en route, it would become the permanent abode of the deity and could never be moved.
Celestial gods became worried upon hearing that Lord Shiva had departed from his abode on Mount Kailash. They sought a resolution from Lord Vishnu. Then, Lord Vishnu asked Varuna, the deity associated with water, to enter Ravana's stomach through achamana, a ritual which involves sipping water from the palm of one's hand. As a consequence of performing achaman, Ravana departed for Lanka with the lingam and felt the need to urinate in the vicinity of Deoghar.
The story goes that Lord Vishnu took the form of a cowherd named Baiju. While Ravana was off to urinate, he gave a lingam to this cowherd. Baiju positioned the lingam on the ground. Upon Ravana's return, he attempted to displace the lingam, but he was unsuccessful in his endeavor. He became upset and proceeded to press his thumb onto the lingam before departing. The Shiva lingam was then worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, and other deities. Since then, Mahadev has taken up residence in Deoghar as the embodiment of the Kamna Ling.