Somanatha Jyotirlinga

Somanatha Jyotirlinga: Lord Shiva relieving Chandra deva from the disease of consumption:

(Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 14)

Shiva

► सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथम् (Saurashtre Somanatham)

• Meditation: I meditate on Somanatha Jyotirlinga where Lord Shiva relieved Chandra deva from the disease of consumption due to the curse of Daksha.

• Daksha cursing Chandra deva: Daksha married his 27 daughters to Chandra. However, of all the 27 wives, Chandra only loved Rohini and neglected the others. The other wives with sorrowful heart went to their father and narrated their sorrows. Daksha felt sad hearing their tales. He went to Chandra and told him to be kind towards all his wives. He told not to repeat such impartial behaviour in future. Chandra however became overpowered by Shiva Maya and did not follow the advice of Daksha. Being attracted towards Rohini, he did not honour the other wives as before. Daksha arrived at the abode of Chandra and cursed him to suffer from Kshaya Roga (disease of consumption). The curse took immediate effect and Chandra became infected with the disease of consumption.

• Chandra deva performing penance at Prabhasa Kshetra: All the sages and gods became worried. They went to Lord Brahma and sought his refuge. Lord Brahma told them about the earlier misdeeds of Chandra (like abducting Tara, the wife of Brihaspati) and said that this suffering will check his misconducts. Lord Brahma also told about the remedy. If Chandra goes to Prabhasa Kshetra and worships Lord Shiva by performing Mrityunjaya Puja, then by the grace of Lord Shiva, he can get rid of this ailment. According to the advice of Lord Brahma, Chandra went to Prabhasa Kshetra. The gods and the sages had earlier invoked all tirthas there including Saraswati for the tapas of Chandra. Chandra performed tapas there for six months uninterruptedly by worshipping the Vrishabha Dhwaja (the one with bull as the emblem, i.e. Lord Shiva) with Mrityunjaya Mantra. He recited the Mrityunjaya Mantra ten crores of times and meditated on that mantra with a still mind.

• Lord Shiva giving boon to Chandra deva: Lord Shiva became pleased with his tapas and appeared before Chandra. Shiva told him to ask for a boon. Chandra asked the Lord to rid him of the disease of consumption. Shiva relieved Chandra from the curse. He (Shiva) said that in one paksha (fortnight) his kala will get reduced gradually, and in the next paksha his kala will increase gradually. All the gods and sages reached there and blessed Chandra. Then they offered their salutations to Lord Shiva. Chandra deva also eulogised the Lord. The gods and sages requested Lord Shiva to stay there with Devi Parvati. Shiva became pleased with them and stayed there in the form of Someshwara (Somanatha Jyotirlinga) which became famous in the three worlds. Those who worship Lord Shiva there becomes relieved from diseases like consumption, leprosy etc. The gods created a kunda there known as Chandra Kunda. Persons who take bath there becomes free from all sins. By taking bath in that kunda for six months, a person gets cured from incurable diseases like consumption. Performing pradakshina (circumambulation) of Prabhasa Kshetra is equivalent to performing parikrama of the whole world. The person becomes shuddhatma (of pure mind) and after death goes to heaven. By looking at the Soma Linga, a person gets freed from all sins. His desires are fulfilled and after death goes to heaven.

Somnath Temple, Saurashtra, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat

Somnath Temple, Saurashtra, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat

- Somanatha Jyotirlinga (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 14)
- Prabhasa Somnath (Prabhasa Sea shore, Triveni Sangam) (Gir Somnath district, Gujarat)

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