12 Upajyotirliṅgas

 12 Upjyotirliṅgas ( द्वादश उपज्योतिर्लिङ्गानि) 

Introduction:— 

Śrī Paramśiva 

The concept of "12 Jyotirliṅgas" is very famous in Sanātana Dharma. These are the greatest Śivaliṅgas among all liṅgas in the world. They're — 

सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथञ्च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम् ।

उज्जयिन्यां महाकालमोङ्कारपरमेश्वरम् ॥१७॥

केदारं हिमवत्पृष्ठे च डाकिन्यां भीमाशङ्करम् ।

वाराणस्याञ्च विश्वेशं त्र्यम्बकं गौतमीतटे ॥१८॥

वैद्यनाथञ्चिताभूमौ नागेशं दारुकावने ।

सेतुबन्धे च रामेशं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये ॥१९॥

द्वादशैतानि नामानि प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत्।

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो सर्वसिद्धिफलोलभेत् ॥२०॥

[[ Reference:— Śiva Mahāpurāṇa: Jñāna Saṃhitā: Chapter 38]] 

Meaning :— Somanātha in Saurāṣṭra (Gujrat), Mallikārjuna in Śrīśaila, Mahākāleśvara in Ujjayinī, Oṃkāreśvara in Parameśvara (Narmadā valley), Kedāra in Himālaya (Uttarakhand), Bhīmāśaṅkara in Ḍākinī, Viśśeśvara in Vārāṇasī, Tryambaka at the bank of Gautamī river, Vaidyanātha in Citābhūmi region (Jharkhand), Nāgeśa in Dāruka forest, Rāmeśvara in Setubandha, Ghuśmeśa in Śivālaya. 

But what are the 12 Upajyotirliṅgas (द्वादश उपज्योतिर्लिङ्ग) ?

Here is a short description of them. 

The 12 subordinate Jyotirliṅgas:— 

The sub-liṅgas which were emerged from the 12 main Jyotirliṅgas, are known as 12 Upajyotirliṅgas. According to the Śiva Mahāpurāṇa, these are — 

ज्योतिषाञ्चोपलिङ्गानि  श्रुयतामृषिसत्तमाः॥३१॥ 

सोमेश्वरस्य यल्लिङ्गमन्धकेशमुदाहृतम्। मह्यासागरसंयोगे तल्लिङ्गमुपलिङ्गकम्॥३२॥ 

[[ Śiva Mahāpurāṇa: Saṃhitā: Chapter 38]] 

The Upajyotirliṅga of Somanātha is Andhakeśvara. It is situated on the beach of ocean. 

Now, Andhakeśvara is situated at Amalsad in Gujrat. 

Andhakeshwar Temple 

मल्लिकार्जुनसम्भूतं भृगुकच्छेहथ रुद्रकम्। 

~ Same chapter: Śloka 33a

The Upaliṅga which was originated from Mallikārjuna is situated in Bhṛgukaccha. 

महाकाल यल्लिङ्गं दुग्धेशमिति विश्रुतम् ॥३३

Mahākāla's Upaliṅga is Dugdheśa . 

It is now known as Dughdheshwar baba temple, at Rudrapur in Uttar-pradesh. 

Dugdheshwara Temple

ओंकारसम्भवं लिङ्गं कर्दमेशमिति स्वयम्। 

The Upaliṅga which originated from Oṃkāreśvara is referred to as Kardameśvara. 

Kardameśvara is located in Varanasi. It has a great historical importance for becoming an oldest surviving temple. 

Kardameshwar Temple 

केदारेश्वरसञ्जातं भूतेशं यमुनातटे ॥३४॥ 

The subordinate Liṅga of Kedāra is Bhūteśa . It is situated in the bank of Yamuna ( Vṛndāvana). 

Bhutesha is situated inside the Kātyāyanī Śaktipīṭha of Vrindavan. He is the guardian of the Vrindavan Shaktipeeth. 

भीमशङ्करसम्भूतं भीमेश्वर इति स्मृतम्। 

Bhīmeśvara is the Upaliṅga of Bhīmāśaṅkara. 

It is situated in Uttarakhand. 

विश्वेश्वराच्च यज्जतं शरण्येश्वरविश्रुतम् ॥३५॥ 

The subordinate Liṅga which was emerged from Viśvanātha, is Śaraṇyeśvara. 

Current location is not known. 

त्र्यम्वकञ्च यत् प्रोक्तं सिद्धेश्वरेति श्रुतम्। 

Siddeśvara is the Upaliṅga of Tryambaka. 

It might be the ancient Siddheshwar temple of Bahulara, West Bengal.

वैद्यनाथेश्वराज्जातं वैजनाथ इति श्रुतम् ॥३६॥ 

The Upaliṅga that originated from Vaidyanātha is known as Vaijyanātha. 

Vaijanath is situated at Parli in Maharashtra. Parli was previously known as Paralyā. 

Vaijanath Temple 

नागेश्वरसमुद्भूतं भूतेश्वरमुदाहृतम्। 

झिल्लिका-सरस्वतीतीरे दर्शनां पापहारकम् ॥३७॥ 

The Upaliṅga which originated from Nāgeśvara is referred to as Bhūteśvara. It is located at the confluence of the Saraswati and Jhillikā rivers. 

Current location is not known.

रामेश्वराच्च यज्जातं गुप्तेश्वरमुदाहृतम्। 

Gupteśvara Upaliṅga was originated from Rāmeśvara. 

Current location is — Gupteshwar cave, Jeypore, Koraput District in the state of Odisha. 

घुश्माशाच्चैव यज्जातं व्याघ्रेश्वर इति स्वयम्॥३८॥

The Upaliṅga which emerged from Ghuśmeśa is referred to as Vyāghreśvara. 

Now this is located in the pen town of Raighad district, Maharashtra. 

Thank you. 

Har Har Mahadev!