Nageshwar Temple

The jyotirlinga enshrined in the temple of Nagnath is known as Nageshwar Mahadev and attracts thousands of pilgrims all round the year. This powerful jyotirlinga symbolizes protection from all poisons and those who pray to the Nageshwar Linga therefore become poison free. This Sivalingam is facing South, with the Gomugam facing East. There is a story for this position. A devotee by name Naamdev was singing bhajans in front of the Lord. Other devotees asked him to stand aside and not hide the Lord. To this Naamdev asked them to suggest one direction in which the Lord does not exist, so that he can stand there. The enraged devotees carried him and left him on the southside. To their astonishment, they found that the Linga was now facing South with the Gomugam facing east

The famous Nagnath (Shiva) Temple lies in Dwarkavan (the forest of Dwarka), further ahead of Beyt Dwarka near the ancient Gopi Lake. It is recorded in the Puranas (ancient texts) that 12 jyotirlingas or columns of light representing Lord Shiva manifested themselves in different parts of the country and Dwarka being one of them. There once lived a rakshasa called Daruka, who was extremely cruel and tortured the good ones. But yet he was a great devotee of Lord Siva. A Siva devotee, Supriya who was a merchant reached the Darukavanam, where Daruka lived with his wife Daruki, while sailing with his goods. Daruka asked Supriya to teach him the path of devotion to Siva, the norms of performing pooja and penance. Fearing that Daruka would use any additional powers gained by such penance, to bad use, Supriya refused to guide him. The enraged Daruka began to torture Supriya. Supriya however was staunch is his faith in the Lord and was unmoved by any torture. Lord Siva was pleased and appeared and killed the demon Daruka. Daruki, Darukas wife, now started giving even more trouble than her husband. Siva vanquished her too and gives darshan to his devotees at this place as Nageshwar.

Location: Dwarka

State: Gujarat

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