Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga: The only South-facing Linga
Jyotirlingas are sacred shrines of Lord Shiva; it is believed that Lord Shiva himself visited these places and hence they have a special place in the hearts of devotees. There are 12 of them in India.
Jyotirlinga means ‘column or pillar of light’. The ‘stambha’ symbol represents that there is no beginning or end.
When Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had an argument about who was the supreme god, Lord Shiva appeared as a column of light and asked each one to find the ends. Neither could do it. It is believed that the places where these columns of light fell is where the jyotirlingas are located.
Of the 12 jyotirlingas in India, the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is believed to be swayambhu i.e. originated on its own. Since kaal means ‘time’ and ‘death’, Mahakal i.e. Lord Shiva is called the Lord of Time and Death.
Where is the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga located?
The temple is located in the historical city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is situated on the banks of the holy river, Shipra.
Special features of Mahakaleshwar Temple
The Mahakaleshwar temple has been built in Maratha, Bhumija and Chalukya architectural styles. It has five levels, one of which is underground. There are images of Lord Shiva’s consort, Goddess Parvati (to the north), his sons, Ganesha (to the west) and Kartikeya (to the east) and his mount, Nandi (to the south).
On the second floor above the Mahakaleshwar linga is the Omkareshwara linga. Enshrined on the third floor of the temple is an image of Nagchandreshwar – with Lord Shiva and Parvati seated on a ten-hooded snake and surrounded by other statues.
It has a tall spire (shikhara) with intricate and beautiful carvings.
History of Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
The mention of this temple in the Puranas, where it is stated that Prajapita Brahma built it, is proof of its ancient existence. The temple is believed to be built in the 6th century AD by Kumarasena, the son of a former king of Ujjain, Chandpradyot.
It was further reconstructed in the 12th century AD under King Udayaditya and King Naravarman. Later, the Maratha commander Ranoji Shinde under Peshwa Bajirao-I renovated this temple in the 18th century AD.
What is the story behind Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga?
Like all old structures and the stories that surround them, the legend behind Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga has many versions. One of them goes like this.
It is believed that King Chandrasena of Ujjain was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. While he was praying, a young boy, Shrikhar wished to pray along with him. However, he was not allowed to do so and was sent away to the outskirts of the city. There, he overheard a plot to attack Ujjain by enemy kings Ripudamana and Singhaditya with the help of a demon named Dushanan.
He began to pray to Lord Shiva to protect the city. Vridhi, a priest heard his prayers and also prayed to the Lord to save the city. In the meanwhile, the rival kings attacked Ujjain. They were almost successful in conquering the city when Lord Shiva came in his Mahakal form and saved them. From that day on, at the behest of his devotees, Lord Shiva lives on in this famous Ujjain temple in the form of a linga.
Interesting facts about Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
- Since it is a self-originated linga, it derives power on its own. It does not require mantra shakti for power like the other lingas and moorthies (statues).
- It is the only jyotirlinga that faces south – dakshinamukhi. All the other jyotirlingas face east. This is because the direction of death is believed to be south. As Lord Shiva faces south, it symbolizes that he is master of death. In fact, people worship Mahakaleshwar to prevent untimely death – to enjoy a long life.
- Nagchadreshwar is opened to the public only one day in the year – on Nag Panchami day. It remains shut on all the other days.
- Bhasma aarti (offering with ashes) is a famous ritual here. As ash is pure, non-dual, imperishable and unchangeable, so is the Lord.
While devotees visit this temple throughout the year, it would be best to visit it in the winter months i.e. October to March. Visiting it during Mahashivratri (February 21st this year) would be the ultimate treat for any devotee!
Read about other Jyotirlinga Temples
- Somnath - Gujarat
- Mallikarjuna - Andhra Pradesh
- Omkareshwar - Madhya Pradesh
- Kedarnath - Himalayas
- Bhimashankar - Maharashtra
- Vishveshwar/Vishwanath - Uttar Pradesh
- Triambakeshwar - Maharashtra
- Baidyanath - Maharashtra
- Nageshwar - Gujarat
- Rameshwaram - Tamil Nadu
- Ghrishneshwar - Maharashtra
To watch LIVE webcast of Mahashivratri celebrations with Gurudev on February 21st, click here.
To take sankalpa, register here.
To know more about this special day, visit here.
We’d love to hear from you.
Leave your comments @artofliving
Join us on Mahashivratri
FAQ's on Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
Mahakaleshwar temple is the only jyotirlinga that faces south – dakshinamukhi. The other jyotirlingas face east. The direction of death is believed to be south. As Lord Shiva faces south, it symbolizes that he is master of death. People worship Mahakaleshwar to prevent sudden death and to enjoy a long life.
In the year 1235, Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish of Delhi destroyed Mahakal Temple. In 1734 CE, the present structure was built by the Maratha general Ranoji Shinde. The Diwan of Ranoji, Sukhatanakar Ramchandra Baba Shenavi re-built the Mahakaleshwar Temple during the 4th-5th decades of the 18th century. Later on, in the 19th century, the Scindias restored it.
As mentioned in the Puranas, the Mahakal jyotirlinga of the temple was built by Prajapita Brahma. The temple was built in the 6th century AD by Kumarasena, the son of a former king of Ujjain, Chandpradyot. It was reconstructed in the 12th century AD under King Udayaditya and King Naravarman. Later, the Maratha commander Ranoji Shinde under Peshwa Bajirao-I renovated this temple in the 18th century AD.
Mahākāla in Sanskrit means mahā "great" and kāla "time/death", which means "beyond time" or death. Lord Shiva performed tandava when his wife Mata Sati jumped into the fire. She was unable to bear the disrespect of her husband by her father, Raja Daksh. At this moment, Lord Shiva was about to destroy the whole world. So he was known as Mahakal, the ultimate destoyer of enemies and bad elements. There is absolutely nothing beyond him, no element or time or any other dimension.
Bhooteshwarnath, Bhuteshwarnath, or Bhakurra Mahadeva is a temple of Lord Shiva, located near Maroda Village of Gariaband district. It is in the middle of the Gariaband forests. It is the largest natural Shivlinga in the world. Devotees share that the lingam is increasing in size.
Lord Shiva is the Lord of Time and Death, Mahakal in Hinduism. Mahakal is the fierce manifestation of Lord Vishnu (Narasimha) and the consort of the goddess Mahakali. Mahakala is known as a protector in Chinese Esoteric and Tibetan Buddhism. He appears in Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean scriptures too.
According to the temple traditions, women in sarees and men in dhoti are allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum (garbha grih) of the temple during the Bhasma aarti in the morning,
Every day at 4 am.
While devotees visit this temple throughout the year, it would be best in the winter months from October to March. Visiting it during Mahashivratri (Tuesday, 1 March 2022) would be the ultimate treat for any devotee! People also prefer to visit from November to February. Ujjain experiences pleasant temperature conditions during the months of winter. Those who like the rainfall season visit from June to September.
Decent clothing is welcome in Mahakaleshwar temple.
Decent clothing is welcome in Mahakaleshwar Mandir. According to the temple traditions, women in sarees and men in dhoti are allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum (garbha grih) of the temple during the Bhasma aarti at 4 am.
Any time you go, you will be allowed to go in sanctum sanctorum (garbha grih) except when aarti or shringar is going on, and you can do abhishek and touch the holy Jyotirlinga.
12 Jyotirlingas are there in Ujjain is home to one of Lord Shiva's 12 Jyotirlingas and also happens to be one of the Saptapuris (seven Sacred Hindus Cities that are believed to grant salvation (moksha))
Bhasma aarti ((offering with ashes) is a special kind of aarti that is performed during the brahma muhurat (at 4 am. - about two hours before sunrise) in Ujjain. As ash is pure, non-dual, imperishable and unchangeable, so is Lord Shiva. The priests offer holy ash to the deity while chanting sacred mantras. The aarti creates vibrations that make devotees feel the presence of the divine.
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingams. It is said to be the most sacred abode of Lord Shiva. Since it is a self-originated linga, it derives power on its own. It does not require mantra shakti for the power like the other lingas and moorthies (statues).
The Tropic of Cancer passes through Ujjain. The point of intersection of Karkavrutta (Tropic of Cancer) and the Madhyarekha is where the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga was established.
As mentioned in the Puranas, the Mahakal jyotirlinga of the temple was built by Prajapita Brahma. The temple was built in the 6th century AD by Kumarasena, the son of a former king of Ujjain, Chandpradyot. It was reconstructed in the 12th century AD under King Udayaditya and King Naravarman. Later, the Maratha commander Ranoji Shinde under Peshwa Bajirao-I renovated this temple in the 18th century AD.
Mahākāla in Sanskrit means mahā "great" and kāla "time/death", which means "beyond time" or death. Lord Shiva performed tandava when his wife Mata Sati jumped into the fire. She was unable to bear the disrespect of her husband by her father, Raja Daksh. At this moment, Lord Shiva was about to destroy the whole world. So he was known as Mahakal, the ultimate destroyer of enemies and negative elements. There is absolutely nothing beyond him, no element or any other dimension like time.
find us on
get the art of living app
