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Home › Mantras › Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram
Rudra (Shiva) Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram (12 Jyotirlinga): Ghushma at the lake with clay lingas as Shiva appears in light above the water
Ghushma's son comes back alive from the lake as Shiva appears
Mantra · The verse naming Shiva's twelve shrines of light, then one for each

Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram

सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथं च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम् । उज्जयिन्यां महाकालमोङ्कारममलेश्वरम् ॥

Also known as Saurashtre Somanatham

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

What the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram is

The 12 jyotirlinga mantra most people look for is the short Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Smaranam, a 'remembrance' that names each of Shiva's twelve shrines of light with its place, and here it is followed by the longer Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya. The Smaranam is anonymous. Three verses pair each name with a region, from Somanatha in Saurashtra to Ghushmesha at Shivalaya, and a fourth states the fruit of reciting the list; a closely related list stands in the Kotirudra Samhita of the Shiva Purana. The Stotram gives every shrine a whole verse. Twelve verses describe a setting, from the meeting of the Kaveri and the Narmada at Mandhata to the Forest of Bliss at Varanasi, and the thirteenth names the hymn and its reward. Its sequence is not the Smaranam's: Kedara comes seventh and Rameshvara ninth, and the closing verse says the twelve were told in order.

Ghushma and the lake called Shivalaya

The Smaranam ends its list with a word that reads like a common noun: Ghushmesha 'at Shivalaya', the abode of Shiva. The Shiva Purana explains it with a story set near Devagiri in the Deccan. A Brahmin named Sudharma and his wife Sudeha had no child, and Sudeha persuaded him to marry her younger sister Ghushma. Ghushma worshipped Shiva every day in lingas shaped from earth and then gave them to the waters of a nearby lake. A son was born to her, and as he grew, Sudeha's jealousy grew with him, until one night she killed the boy and threw his body into that same lake. Ghushma did not break off her worship. When she went down to the water with the day's lingas, the Purana relates, her son came back to her alive, and Shiva appeared, ready to punish Sudeha. Ghushma asked instead that her sister be spared, and that Shiva stay at that place. He agreed to remain there in her name as Ghushmesha, and the lake was called Shivalaya. Tradition identifies the shrine with Grishneshwar at Verul, about a kilometre and a half from the Ellora caves, whose present temple took its form in 1729 under Gautama Bai Holkar of Indore. The Stotram's twelfth verse calls the town Ilapura and the lord Ghrishneshvara, whose nature is 'supremely generous'.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiसौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथं च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम् । उज्जयिन्यां महाकालमोङ्कारममलेश्वरम् ॥
Tamilஸௌராஷ்ட்ரே ஸோமநாதம் ச ஶ்ரீஶைலே மல்லிகார்ஜுநம் । உஜ்ஜயிந்யாம் மஹாகாலமோங்காரமமலேஶ்வரம் ॥
Teluguసౌరాష్ట్రే సోమనాథం చ శ్రీశైలే మల్లికార్జునమ్ । ఉజ్జయిన్యాం మహాకాలమోఙ్కారమమలేశ్వరమ్ ॥
Kannadaಸೌರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೇ ಸೋಮನಾಥಂ ಚ ಶ್ರೀಶೈಲೇ ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನಮ್ । ಉಜ್ಜಯಿನ್ಯಾಂ ಮಹಾಕಾಲಮೋಙ್ಕಾರಮಮಲೇಶ್ವರಮ್ ॥
Malayalamസൌരാഷ്ട്രേ സോമനാഥം ച ശ്രീശൈലേ മല്ലികാര്ജുനമ് । ഉജ്ജയിന്യാം മഹാകാലമോങ്കാരമമലേശ്വരമ് ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationsaurāṣṭre somanāthaṃ ca śrīśaile mallikārjunam | ujjayinyāṃ mahākālamoṅkāramamaleśvaram ||
“Somanatha in Saurashtra and Mallikarjuna on Srishaila; Mahakala in Ujjayini, and Omkara at Amaleshvara.”
सौराष्ट्रे
saurāṣṭre — in Saurashtra
सोमनाथं
somanāthaṃ — Somanatha
च
ca — and
श्रीशैले
śrīśaile — on Srishaila
मल्लिकार्जुनम्
mallikārjunam — Mallikarjuna
उज्जयिन्यां
ujjayinyāṃ — in Ujjayini
महाकालमोङ्कारममलेश्वरम्
mahākālamoṅkāramamaleśvaram — Mahakala; Omkara at Amaleshvara

Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram lyrics in full

The four-verse Smaranam that names the twelve shrines, followed by the thirteen verses of the Stotram, one for each Jyotirlinga and a closing verse.

All 17 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram PDFAll 17 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Smaranam 1

सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथं च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम् ।
उज्जयिन्यां महाकालमोङ्कारममलेश्वरम् ॥

Somanatha in Saurashtra and Mallikarjuna on Srishaila; Mahakala in Ujjayini, and Omkara at Amaleshvara.

Smaranam 2

परल्यां वैद्यनाथं च डाकिन्यां भीमशङ्करम् ।
सेतुबन्धे तु रामेशं नागेशं दारुकावने ॥

Vaidyanatha at Parali and Bhimashankara in Dakini; Ramesha at Setubandha, and Nagesha in the Daruka forest.

Smaranam 3

वाराणस्यां तु विश्वेशं त्र्यम्बकं गौतमीतटे ।
हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये ॥

Vishvesha at Varanasi and Tryambaka on the bank of the Gautami (Godavari); Kedara in the Himalaya, and Ghushmesha at Shivalaya.

Smaranam 4

एतानि ज्योतिर्लिङ्गानि सायं प्रातः पठेन्नरः ।
सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति ॥

One should recite these Jyotirlingas evening and morning. The verse says that by this remembrance the sin committed over seven births is destroyed.

Verse 1

सौराष्ट्रदेशे विशदेऽतिरम्ये ज्योतिर्मयं चन्द्रकलावतंसम् ।
भक्तिप्रदानाय कृपावतीर्णं तं सोमनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥

In the clear and most lovely land of Saurashtra dwells the one made of light, who wears the crescent moon as an ornament. I take refuge in that Somanatha, who descended out of compassion to grant devotion.

Verse 2

श्रीशैलशृङ्गे विविधप्रसङ्गे शेषाद्रिशृङ्गेऽपि सदा वसन्तम् ।
तमर्जुनं मल्लिकपूर्वमेनं नमामि संसारसमुद्रसेतुम् ॥

He dwells always on the peak of Srisailam, a place of many sacred associations, and on the peak of Sheshadri too. I bow to him, Arjuna with Mallika before his name (Mallikarjuna), the bridge across the ocean of worldly existence.

Verse 3

अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारं मुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम् ।
अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थं वन्दे महाकालमहासुरेशम् ॥

He took form at Avantika to grant liberation to the good and to protect them from untimely death. I salute Mahakala, the great lord of the gods.

Verse 4

कावेरिकानर्मदयोः पवित्रे समागमे सज्जनतारणाय ।
सदैव मान्धातृपुरे वसन्तमोङ्कारमीशं शिवमेकमीडे ॥

At the holy meeting of the Kaveri and the Narmada, to carry the good across, he ever dwells in the city of Mandhata. I praise the Lord Omkara, the one Shiva.

Verse 5

पूर्वोत्तरे प्रज्वलिकानिधाने सदा वसन्तं गिरिजासमेतम् ।
सुरासुराराधितपादपद्मं श्रीवैद्यनाथं तमहं नमामि ॥

In the north-east, at the place called Prajvalika, he ever dwells together with Girija (Parvati). I bow to that Sri Vaidyanatha, whose lotus feet are worshipped by gods and demons alike.

Verse 6

याम्ये सदङ्गे नगरेऽतिरम्ये विभूषिताङ्गं विविधैश्च भोगैः ।
सद्भक्तिमुक्तिप्रदमीशमेकं श्रीनागनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥

In the south, in the most beautiful town of Sadanga, his body is adorned with many splendours. I take refuge in Sri Naganatha, the one Lord who gives true devotion and liberation.

Verse 7

महाद्रिपार्श्वे च तटे रमन्तं सम्पूज्यमानं सततं मुनीन्द्रैः ।
सुरासुरैर्यक्षमहोरगाद्यैः केदारमीशं शिवमेकमीडे ॥

He delights on the slope of the great mountain, beside the river, ever worshipped by the foremost sages and by gods, demons, yakshas, great serpents and others. I praise the Lord Kedara, the one Shiva.

Verse 8

सह्याद्रिशीर्षे विमले वसन्तं गोदावरीतीरपवित्रदेशे ।
यद्दर्शनात्पातकमाशु नाशं प्रयाति तं त्र्यम्बकमीशमीडे ॥

He dwells on the pure summit of the Sahyadri, in the holy land on the bank of the Godavari. The verse says that by seeing him sin is quickly destroyed; I praise that Lord Tryambaka.

Verse 9

सुताम्रपर्णीजलराशियोगे निबध्य सेतुं विशिखैरसंख्यैः ।
श्रीरामचन्द्रेण समर्पितं तं रामेश्वराख्यं नियतं नमामि ॥

Where the Tamraparni meets the ocean, Sri Ramachandra built a bridge with countless arrows and installed him. I constantly bow to that Lord named Rameshvara.

Verse 10

यं डाकिनीशाकिनिकासमाजे निषेव्यमाणं पिशिताशनैश्च ।
सदैव भीमादिपदप्रसिद्धं तं शङ्करं भक्तहितं नमामि ॥

He is served amid the company of dakinis and shakinis and by flesh-eating spirits, and is ever renowned by the name beginning with Bhima. I bow to that Shankara (Bhimashankara), who is kind to his devotees.

Verse 11

सानन्दमानन्दवने वसन्तमानन्दकन्दं हतपापबृन्दम् ।
वाराणसीनाथमनाथनाथं श्रीविश्वनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥

He dwells joyfully in the Forest of Bliss, the root of bliss, the destroyer of the mass of sins. I take refuge in Sri Vishvanatha, Lord of Varanasi, protector of the unprotected.

Verse 12

इलापुरे रम्यविशालकेऽस्मिन्समुल्लसन्तं च जगद्वरेण्यम् ।
वन्दे महोदारतरस्वभावं घृष्णेश्वराख्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥

He shines forth in this lovely and spacious Ilapura, the most worthy in the world. I salute him whose nature is supremely generous, and take refuge in the Lord named Ghrishneshvara.

Verse 13

ज्योतिर्मयद्वादशलिङ्गकानां शिवात्मनां प्रोक्तमिदं क्रमेण ।
स्तोत्रं पठित्वा मनुजोऽतिभक्त्या फलं तदालोक्य निजं भजेच्च ॥

This hymn on the twelve luminous Lingas, which are Shiva himself, has been told in order. The verse says that a person who recites it with great devotion will see its fruit and attain it as his own.

The syllable people get wrong

Tryambakaṃ (त्र्यम्बकं), the lord on the bank of the Gautami, opens with the cluster try-: say it in three syllables, TRYAM-ba-kam, rather than 'tri-AM-bak' or the everyday place-name Trimbak.

When the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram is chanted

Weekday. Monday

Questions

Both circulate under that name. The short text beginning 'Saurashtre Somanatham ca' is the Smaranam: three verses that simply name the twelve shrines and their places, and a fourth saying that whoever recites them evening and morning is freed of sin committed over seven births. The Stotram beginning 'Saurashtradeshe vishade'tiramye' praises each shrine in a verse of its own and closes with a separate fruit verse. Some editions add a second fruit verse to the Smaranam.
Somnath is at Veraval and Nageshwar near Dwarka, both in Gujarat; Mallikarjuna at Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh; Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain and Omkareshwar on Mandhata island in the Narmada, Madhya Pradesh; Baidyanath at Deoghar, Jharkhand; Bhimashankar in Pune district, Trimbakeshwar near Nashik and Grishneshwar at Verul, Maharashtra; Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu; Kashi Vishwanath at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh; and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. Two of these sites have rival claimants.
The Smaranam reads 'paralyam vaidyanatham', which points to Vaijnath at Parli in Maharashtra. The Shiva Purana's own list instead places Vaidyanatha in a cremation ground, which Deoghar tradition reads as Chitabhumi, its old name, and the Stotram's fifth verse puts him in the north-east. Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh is a third claimant. Nageshwar is contested in the same way: Dwarka, Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra and Jageshwar in Uttarakhand each identify with the Daruka forest.
The thirteen-verse Stotram is traditionally his. The 1910 Vani Vilas collection of Shankara's hymns prints it under his name, in a recension with a different verse order and another closing verse, while the Brihat Stotra Ratnakara gives it with no author. The short Smaranam has no author at all: it is a traditional verse whose list closely matches the one in the opening chapter of the Kotirudra Samhita of the Shiva Purana.
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