Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga: The Last Abode of Lord Shiva’s Eternal Light
Maharashtra is a state which has 3 Jyotirlingas. Grishneshwar jyotirlinga is one of them. Nestled in the historic UNESCO World heritage site of Ellora, it is the 12th of the Jyotirlingas. The Aurangabad district’s little village of Verul is home to the Grishneshwar temple. The temple is conveniently close to the well-known Ellora Caves—less than a kilometer away. It goes without saying that it is one of Aurangabad’s most popular destinations.
The name Grishneshwara, which translates to “Lord of Compassion,” is extremely important. It is said that holy water bubbles up from within the temple. As they approach the Grishneshwar Temple, devotees stop at the little shrine dedicated to Kokila Mata.
This jyotirlinga has an interesting origin story, according to the story, Sudharma and his wife Sudeha were childless, so Sudeha asked Sudharma to marry her younger sister Ghushma to have a child. Ghushma, a devoted follower of Lord Shiva, worshipped 101 Shiva Lingas daily and was blessed with a son. Sudeha grew envious and, driven by resentment, killed Ghushma’s son and threw the body into a pond where Ghushma worshipped. The next morning, Ghushma found her son alive, emerging from the pond.
Lord Shiva, angered by Sudeha’s actions, was about to punish her. Ghushma pleaded with Shiva to forgive Sudeha and asked Shiva to make the place His permanent abode. Shiva granted her requests, appearing as a Jyotirlinga at the site, which came to be known as Grishneshwar.
About 30 km to the west of Aurangabad there is a village located called Verul. The famous holy linga of Grishneshwar is located in this village. There is also a place of pilgrimage known as Shivalay.
Legend has it that there once was a king who loved to go hunting. The king unintentionally killed the animals that coexisted with the sages in the woods one day while out hunting. The sages, furious over the death of their animals, cursed that the king’s corpse would be a bug swarm.
Delighted by the omen and discouraged by his altered situation, the king began wandering through the woodland. He quickly became thirsty but was unable to locate any water. The king spent hours looking for a water source before discovering a tiny man-made pool formed of horse hooves. He was shocked to learn that his curse had been lifted right away and that every bug had left his body. The king, humbled by the divine spectacle, made the decision to perform penance by the lake. Satisfied by his Tapa, the water pool became a large holy lake and Lord Brahma appeared there. This lake is now known as “Shivalay” among worshippers.
Another interesting legend associated with temple involves Goddess Parvathi. It is said that once she was mixing vermillion on her palm as applying red vermillion to the forehead represents marital bliss in Hinduism. When Parvathi realized she couldn’t powder the vermillion, she combined it with water from Shivalay, the sacred lake next to the temple. With her right hand, she began to make a paste while she held the vermillion in her left palm. Her hands’ circular motions produced friction, or Grishna, and Lord Shiva emerged from it. He began as a brilliant light and evolved into a linga. Since this linga was made by the friction between her hands, Parvathi named it Grishneshwar, or the God of Friction.
Grishneshwar temple is India’s smallest Jyotirlinga temple. Standing at 240 feet by 185 feet, the temple has a five-tiered shikara with a golden spire, or kalasha, at the summit. Totally unusual for the area, the temple features prehistoric South Indian architecture.
According to legend, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s grandfather, Maloji Raje Bhosale, spearheaded the first reconstruction in the sixteenth century. Maloji Bhosale discovered a treasure in a snake pit and used it to rebuild the temple. This historic pilgrimage site has beautiful red stone carvings of gods and goddesses.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Delhi Sultanate’s Mughal invaders destroyed the temple. Consequently, the temple underwent multiple reconstructions in order to preserve the structural integrity of the building. The great ruler, Rani Ahilyabhai Holkar, who ruled Indore from 1765 to 1795, later carried out additional restorations to the temple in the 18th century.
Dashavataras, the ten incarnations or forms of Lord Vishnu on earth, lead up to the main temple in an aesthetically pleasing structure. The holy building is designed in a medieval style. The temple is adorned with calm statues, fascinating paintings, and elaborate carvings. The temple was built in a distinctive manner known as the “Shikara” style, which is distinguished by carvings of five tires, bulls, and monkeys.
Built from red volcanic rocks, the Grishneshwar temple is adorned with elaborate sculptures and carvings of gods and goddesses. The garbhagriha, antarala, and sabha mandapa make up the temple. The stone tower features unique rust, pink, and yellow friezes. It is among the most unusual and distinctive buildings in the nation thanks to a number of its architectural elements.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is situated close to a number of other well-known Maharashtra pilgrimage sites. The temple is only a few kilometers away from the Ellora Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple is situated close to the Ajanta Caves, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Experiencing Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga firsthand can be genuinely heavenly. The serene atmosphere and hallowed surrounds of the temple provide guests with an opportunity to commune with their inner selves. A lot of followers have told stories of receiving divine blessings and experiencing spiritual awakenings at the temple, which is thought to be a place where wishes come true.
