Nageshwar is regarded as one of the
12 Jyotirlinga Shrines of Shiva. It is
located on the route between Dwarka and the Bet Dwarka island,
on the coast of Saurashtra in Gujarat. The Rudra Samhita sloka refers to Nageshwar
with the phrase 'Daarukaavane Naagesham'.
Legend has it that a devotee by name
Supriya, was attacked by a demon Daaruka, while in a boat and that the
demon imprisoned him along with several others at his capital Daarukaavana,
where he resided with his wife Daaruki. Shiva appeared in the form of a Jyotirlingam
and vanquished the demon with the Paasupata Astram.
This Jyotirlinga manifestation is worshipped as Nageswara,
at this shrine on the way to Bet Dwarka from Dwarka.
Two other sites in India, one near Audhgram near Purna in Andhra Pradesh
and another near Almora in Uttar Pradesh also enshrine temples to
Nageswara Jyotirlingam.
See Also:
Dwarka
All about Shiva
