Jyotirlingas

SAURASHTRE SOMANAATHAM CHA SHREESHAILE MALLIKARJUNAM
II UJJAYINYAM MAHAKALAM OMKARE AMARESHWARAM II
PARALYAAM VAIDYANAATHAM CHA DAAKINYAM BHIMASHANKARAM
II SETHU BANDHE TU RAAMESHAM NAAGESHAM DAARUKAVANE II
VAARAANASYAANTHU VISHVESHAM TRYAMBAKAM GAUTHAMEETHATE
II HIMALAYE TU KEDAARAM GHRUSHNESHAM CHA SHIVALAYE II
ETAANI JYOTIRLINGAANI SAAYAM PRAATAH PATHENNARAHA II
SAPTHA JANMA KRITAM PAAPAM SMARANENA VINASYATHI II

1 Somnath in Saurashtra (Kathiawad), Gujarat
2 Mallikarjun in Shrishailam or Srisailam AP (also listed as a Shakti Pitha site).
3 Mahakal in Ujjain OR Mahakalaswar at Ujjain, MP state.
4 Omkar in Mammaleshwaram (at Omkareshwar on the river Narmada, MP)
5 Vaijnath in Parli (Vaidyanath at Deogarh, Bihar)
6 Bhima Shankar in Dakini northwest of Poona, in Dhakini, Maharashtra
7 Rameshwaram in Setubandha, TamilNadu
8 Nagesh, Naganath/Nageshwar, in Darukavana, Maharaashtra
9 Vishweshwar/ Viswanath in Banaras/Varanasi , UP
10 Trimbakeshwar near Nasik on the banks of river Gautami/Godavari , Maharashtra
11 Kedarnath/Kedareshwar in Utterkhand Himalayas, UP
12 Ghurmeshwar in Shivalaya OR Grineshwar in Visalakam, near Ellora caves, Mah

More At : http://www.jyotirlinga.com/jyotir.html

The Powerful God:



Shiva is 'shakti' or power, Shiva is the destroyer, the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheon and one of the godheads in the Hindu Trinity. Known by many names - Mahadeva, Mahayogi, Pashupati, Nataraja, Bhairava, Vishwanath, Bhava, Bhole Nath - Lord Shiva is perhaps the most complex of Hindu deities. Hindus recognize this by putting his shrine in the temple separate from those of other deities.

Shiva As Phallic Symbol:
Shiva, in temples is usually found as a phallic symbol of the 'linga', which represents the energies necessary for life on both the microcosmic and the macrocosmic levels, that is, the world in which we live and the world which constitutes the whole of the universe. In a Shaivite temple, the 'linga' is placed in the center underneath the spire, where it symbolizes the naval of the earth.

A Different Deity:
The actual image of Shiva is also distinct from other deities: his hair piled high on the top of his head, with a crescent tucked into it and the river Ganges tumbling from his hairs. Around his neck is a coiled serpent representing Kundalini or the spiritual energy within life. He holds a trident in his left hand in which is bound the 'damroo' (small leather drum). He sits on a tiger skin and on his right is a water pot. He wears the 'Rudraksha' beads and his whole body is smeared with ash.

The Destructive Force:
Shiva is believed to be at the core of the centrifugal force of the universe, because of his responsibility for death and destruction. Unlike the godhead Brahma, the Creator, or Vishnu, the Preserver, Shiva is the dissolving force in life. But Shiva dissolves in order to create, since death is the medium for rebirth into a new life. So the opposites of life and death and creation and destruction both reside in his character.

The Most Fascinating of Gods:
He is also often portrayed as the supreme ascetic with a passive and composed disposition. Sometimes he is depicted riding a bull called Nandi decked in garlands. Although a very complicated deity, Shiva is one of the most fascinating of Hindu gods.

The God Who's Always High!:
Since Shiva is regarded as a mighty destructive power, to numb his negative potentials he is fed with opium and is also termed as 'Bhole Shankar', one who is oblivious of the world. Therefore, on Maha Shivratri, the night of Shiva worship, devotees, especially the menfolk, prepare an intoxicating drink called 'Thandai' (made from cannabis, almonds, and milk) sing songs in praise of the Lord and dance to the rhythm of the drums.

Source : http://hinduism.about.com/od/lordshiva/p/shiva.htm

Stories Of Shiva

There are a number of mythological tales and legends surrounding Lord Shiva. Here're a few popular ones:



Ganga Comes Down to Earth :
A legend from the Ramayana speaks of King Bhagirath who once meditated before Lord Brahma for a thousand years for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. Pleased with his devotion Brahma granted him a wish. He requested the Lord to send the river Ganges down to earth from heaven so that she could flow over his ancestors' ashes and wash their curse away and allow them to go to heaven.

Brahma granted his wish but asked him to pray to Shiva, for he alone could support the weight of her descent. Accordingly he prayed to Shiva and he allowed the Ganges to descend on his head, and after meandering through his thick matted locks, the holy river reached the earth. This story is re-enacted by bathing the 'linga'.

The Tiger & the Leaves:
Once a hunter while chasing a deer wandered into a dense forest and found himself on the banks of river Kolidum when he heard the growl of a tiger. To protect himself from the beast he climbed up a tree nearby. The tiger pitched itself on the ground below the tree fostering no intention to leave. The hunter stayed up in the tree all night and to keep himself from falling asleep, he gently plucked one leaf after another from the tree and threw it down.
Under the tree was a Shiva Linga and the tree blessedly turned out to be a bilva tree. Unknowingly the man had pleased the deity with bilva leaves. At sunrise, the hunter looked down to find the tiger gone, and in its place stood Lord Shiva. He prostrated before the Lord and attained salvation from the cycle of birth and death.

Why Shiva is Worshipped in His Phallic Form:
According to another legend, once Brahma and Vishnu, two other deities of the holy Trinity, had an argument as to their supremacy. Brahma being the Creator declared himself to be more revered, while Vishnu, the Preserver, pronounced that he commanded more respect.

Just then a colossal 'lingam', known as Jyotirlinga, blanketed in flames, appeared before them. Both Brahma and Vishnu were awestruck by its rapidly increasing size. They forgot their quarrel and decided to determine its size. Vishnu assuming the form of a boar went to the netherworld and Brahma as a swan flew to the skies. But both of them failed to accomplish the self-assumed tasks. Then, Shiva appeared out of the 'lingam' and stated that he was the progenitor of them both and that henceforth he should be worshiped in his phallic form, the 'lingam', and not in his anthropomorphic form.

Article Source : http://hinduism.about.com/od/lordshiva/p/shivastories.htm

Gauthama Maharshi (from the Siva Puranam)

The Siva Maha Puranam contains many stories of the great Gautama Maharsi. There is also a reference to him in the Vishnu Puranam. And the Valmiki Ramayanam has one story about him.

So we have a lot to talk about today.

Gautama, A Vedic Composer and the author of the Nyaya Sastra.

Veda Vyasa, arranged some of the hymns that Gautama wrote into the Rg Veda. Gauthama’s own sons and disciples made a different compilation or collection of Gautama’s hymns. So if your forefather studied under Jaimini and other disciples of Vyasa, they will have a somewhat different set or ‘recension’, than the descendants and disciples of Gauthama. Gautama is also famous for the Nyaya Sastra.

http://is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/darshanas/nyaya.pdf

Gautama, the maternal grandfather of Hanuman. (from Siva Maha Puranam)

One very interesting thing that I found out about Gauthama Maharshi in the Siva Purana, is that he was Anjana’s father. And Anjana is Hanuman’s mother. And Hanuman or Anjaneya is every child’s favorite, from Valmiki’s Ramayana. Hanuman was a Vanara. Many children like Hanuman not only for the wonderful things that he did, and his nice nature, but also for his very long tail. We know now, that Vanara means forest dweller and that the Vanaras were definitely human, by the species definition. But we shall keep this knowledge in a small box, put a lid on it, and continue to love Hanuman with a long and handy tail, just like the centuries of Indians loved him before us. There, that is decided! After all, we are not muggles!

Gautama, the paternal grandfather of Nachiketas. (Katha Upanishad).

Another interesting thing that I found in the Katha Upanishad is that, Nachiketas was the son of Yaajasrava, who was the son of Yajasrava, who was Gauthama’s son. And Nachiketas was the small boy who went and visited Mrutyu (Death), got 3 boons and one extra from him and learnt all about the Brahman (the great, absolute, formless God) and about a special Naciketas Fire for use in the Vedic Yajnas. Sri Krishna used some slokas from the Katha Upanishad in the Bhagavad Gita. So we know how important it is.

Gautama’s son Satananda was the priest of Raja Janaka, Sita Devi’s father and Sri Rama’s father-in-law.

Many, many Indian boys are called Gautam, these days. And they think that they are named after Gautama Buddha. But do you know that Price Siddhartha who became the Buddha, was named after his aunt Gautami, who raised him? Gautami is the name of the river Godavari. And did you know that the river Godavari is was named Gautami after Gautama Maharshi? So if your name is Gautham, may be you are named after Gautama Maharshi himself!

Gautama Maharshi was a phenomenally gentle and forgiving soul. Once, when a cow was eating up his crops, he tried to shoo it with a blade of grass!

Read More at : http://ancientindians.net/2010/09/08/gauthama-maharshi-from-the-siva-puranam/

Karthika Masa Vratham

Karthika masam starts on the day after deepavali and ends after 30 days.

Here i am giving the basic rituals we should follow for this month. You can find the detailed vratha vidhanam in karthika puranam book.

1) One should not eat non veg food for the whole month.

2) Must take meal only once per day for the 30 days, we can eat breakfast at nights or atleast we must follow this on auspicious days like mondays, karthika poornima, koti somavaram etc.

3) Must take shower(including hair) daily.

4) Must light deepam every evening and do pooja.

5) Read one chapter in karthika puranam book everyday. If you don’t have karthika puranam read the story given in the below link daily http://www.teluguone.com/bhakti/shivastutulu/index.jsp?filename=kartika.htm

It is even good to hear the story if someone is reading it loud

6) Prepare prasadam on mondays , karthika poornima, koti somavaram and remaining days you can even keep some fruit as prasadam.

Article Source : http://klavanya.wordpress.com/2007/02/13/karthika-masa-vratham/



Siva puranam Telugu pravachanam by Sri chaganti koteswara rao garu

Download and listen Telugu pravachan mp3's

Visit the link : http://www.greatertelugu.com/telugu-books/Shivapuranam-Pravachanam.htm