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Nageshwara Jyotirlinga
(Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 29 to 30) (JL-10)
• Meditation: I meditate on the Nageshwara Jyotirlinga at Darukavana where Lord Shiva protected devotee Supriya from the atrocities of demon Daruka.• Demon Daruka imprisoning devotee Supriya:
- About demon Daruka: There was a demon called Daruka living with his wife Darukaa and other demons in a vast forest (Darukavana) spreading over sixteen yojanas on the western coast of the ocean. Daruka was of evil nature and harassed people by destroying their yagnas.
- About demoness Darukaa: Demoness Darukaa was a devotee of Devi Parvati. Darukaa obtained a boon from Devi Parvati, because of which wherever she moved in the forest, that part became full of trees and other requisites. Darukaa was also able to carry the entire forest with her wherever she liked.
- Noble people taking refuge of sage Aurva: The noble people who were terrorised by the demons took refuge of sage Aurva and requested him to protect them.
- Sage Aurva cursing the demons: Sage Aurva pronounced a curse on the demons that if they try to kill the people on the earth, they will themselves be killed inspite of them being powerful.
- Gods knowing of the curse and preparing for war: The gods came to know of this curse and by taking this opportunity started preparing for a war with the demons. The demons came to know of the intention of the gods and became worried. In case they fight, they will perish; in case they do not fight, they will still perish. In case they stay as they are, what shall they eat?
- Demoness Darukaa carrying the entire forest within the ocean: When they were thus worried, demoness Darukaa told them that she has a boon from Devi Parvati by means of which she can carry the entire forest wherever she liked. Then she carried the entire forest within the ocean. Due to the curse of sage Aurva, the demons did not return on earth, but roamed about on the surface of water. They engaged themselves in harassing the sailors.
- Demon Daruka imprisoning Supriya: Once, several boats arrived there. The demons made the people captive and imprisoned them in their city. The leader of those people was Supriya, a vaishya and a great devotee of Shiva.
- About Supriya: Supriya was a vaishya (merchant class) and a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He worshipped Lord Shiva daily and applied ashes over his body and wore a Rudraksha rosary. The day on which he failed to worship Lord Shiva, he did not take food on that day.
• Supriya worshipping Lord Shiva in the prison: Inside the prison, Supriya worshipped Lord Shiva in a Parthiva Linga. He also taught other people how to worship Shiva. In this manner six months passed.
• Demon Daruka trying to kill Supriya: Then one day Daruka came to know of this and enquired Supriya about the object of his meditation. Supriya told that he knew nothing. Daruka became angry and ordered the demons to kill Supriya. Supriya closed his eyes and meditated on Lord Shiva.
• Lord Shiva appearing and protecting Supriya: Lord Shiva appeared from within a pit and gave the Pashupata astra to Supriya. Supriya killed all the demons with it.
• Shiva - Parvati abiding in the forest as Nageshwara and Nageshwari: Shiva then granted a boon to the forest that the four castes (Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras) will flourish in that forest. Excellent sages and devotees of Shiva will live there and not persons of tamashika nature. In the meantime, demoness Darukaa who was a devotee of Devi Parvati invoked the goddess through hymns. Devi Parvati appeared and gave her a boon that her race will be protected. There was a mild conflict between Shiva and Parvati due to their conflicting boons. However the conflict got resolved in a loving manner. Devi Parvati said that the boon of Shiva will take effect after the end of the yuga. Till then there will be tamashik creation. Else there will be a pralaya. Demoness Darukaa who is her own shakti will rule over the rakshasas, and their descendants will collectively stay in the forest. Shiva thereafter said that he would stay in the forest and lovingly protect the devotees. Then Shiva took the form of the Jyotirlinga Nageshwara and Parvati became known as Nageshwari. The Nageshwara Jyotirlinga fulfills all the desires of the people.
• Pilgrimage:
Nageshwara Jyotirlinga is identified with three temples:1. Nageshwar temple in the Devbhoomi Dwarka district of Gujarat.
2. Aundha Nagnath temple in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra.
3. Jageshwar Mahadev temple in the Almora district of Uttarakhand.
Bharatavarsha - The Land of Gods and Sages:
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3. Pilgrimages
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5. Saints: Ramakrishna - Vivekananda - Ramana
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