Setu Bandha Kshetra (Rameshwaram) - Rameshwara Jyotirlinga and where Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva

• Meditation:

परल्यां वैद्यनाथं च डाकिन्यां भीमाशंकरम् ।
सेतुबंधे तु रामेशं नागेशं दारुकावने ॥
- Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra - verse 2 (Rameshwaram has the Rameshwara Jyotirlinga)

शोषितसरिदीशार्थित राम् ॥ विभीषणाभयदायक राम् ॥ पर्वतसेतुनिबन्धक राम् ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ।
- Nama Ramayana - verse 64 to 66 (Sri Rama built a bridge from Rameshwaram to Lanka)

• Rameshwaram (Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu) → (All India Char Dham) (Jyotirlinga) [Rameshwara Jyotirlinga] (Paadal Petra Sthalam)

• Greatness:

• Rameshwaram is a All India Char Dham (4 sacred pilgrimages on the North, East, South and West of India) [Badrinath, Puri, Rameshwaram, Dwarka]

• Rameshwaram has a Jyotirlinga (Linga of Jyoti) [Somanatha, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwara, Omkareshwara, Kedarnatha, Bhimashankara, Vishwanatha, Tryambakeshwara, Vaidyanatha, Nageshwara, Rameshwara, Grishneshwara] [Rameshwara Jyotirlinga]

• Rameshwaram is a Paadal Petra Sthalam (Glorified by Nayanmars).

• Rameshwaram is primarily a Shiva Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Shiva):
- Lord Shiva abides in Rameshwaram as a Jyotirlinga (Linga of Jyoti) [Somanatha, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwara, Omkareshwara, Kedarnatha, Bhimashankara, Vishwanatha, Tryambakeshwara, Vaidyanatha, Nageshwara, Rameshwara, Grishneshwara] [Rameshwara Jyotirlinga]
- Rameshwaram is also a Paadal Petra Sthalam (Glorified by Nayanmars).

• Rameshwaram is equally a Rama Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Rama):
- Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva in Rameshwaram and was granted the boon of victory against Ravana (Rameshwara Jyotirlinga).

• Sacred Geography:

Rameshwaram Sea Shore — Rameshwaram
- Sea Shore

☁ Sea Shore (Rameshwaram)
☗ Gandhamadana Parvat

• Temples and Places:

• Temples and Places of Lord Shiva and Sri Rama in Rameshwaram:

• Rameshwara Jyotirlinga - Lord Shiva granting boon to Sri Rama for victory against Ravana
(Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 31)

► Rameshwaram - Ramanathaswamy Temple
(Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu)

Rameshwaram Ramanathaswamy Temple is identified with the Rameshwara Jyotirlinga mentioned in the Shiva Purana.

• Temples (Summary):

• Shiva:
- Ramanathaswamy Temple

• Rama:
- Ramanathaswamy Temple
- Kothandaramaswamy Temple (10 km)
- Jatayu Teertham Temple (20 km)
- Thirupullani Darbha Sayana Rama (60 km)

• Devi:
- Devi Parvathavardhini
- Devi Vishalakshi
- Devi Bhadrakali
- Nambunayakai Amman
- Devipattinam (70 km)

• 22 Teerthams inside Temple:
(1) Mahalakshmi Teertham
(2) Savitri Teertham
(3) Gayatri Teertham
(4) Saraswati Teertham
(5) Setu Madhava Teertham
(6) Gandhamadana Teertham
(7) Kavatcha Teertham
(8) Gavaya Teertham
(9) Nala Teertham
(10) Neela Teertham
(11) Shanku Teertham
(12) Chakra Teertham
(13) Brahmahati Vimochana Teertham
(14) Surya Teertham
(15) Chandra Teertham
(16) Ganga Teertham
(17) Yamuna Teertham
(18) Gaya Teertham
(19) Shiva Teertham
(20) Satyamirtha Teertham
(21) Sarva Teertham
(22) Kodi Teertham

• Teerthams outside Temple:
- Agni Teertham
- Rama Teertham
- Sita Teertham
- Lakshmana Teertham
- Villoondi Teertham
- Jada Teertham

• Hanuman:
- Panchamukha Hanuman Temple

• Navagrahas:
- Devipattinam (70 km)

• Others:
- Ram Setu, Dhanuskodi

• Puranic Events:

1. Presence of Lord Shiva in Rameshwaram: (Shiva Purana)
• Rameshwara Jyotirlinga: Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva in this place. Lord Shiva granted the boon of victory against Ravana.

2. Presence of Sri Rama in Rameshwaram: (Shiva Purana)
• Rameshwara Jyotirlinga: Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva in this place. Lord Shiva granted the boon of victory against Ravana.

• Puranic References:

• Skanda Purana - Setu Mahatmya (About Rameshwaram)
• Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 31 (About Rameshwara Jyotirlinga)

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