Nageshwar

Nageshwar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the most sacred abodes of Shiva, enshrined at the Nageshwar Temple near Dwarka in Gujarat. The name Nāgeśvara means 'Lord of Serpents,' signifying Shiva's dominion over serpents and his role as a protector from snake venom and poison. The origin of this Jyotirlinga is described in the Shiva Purana (Kotirudra Samhita, chapter 19) and the Skanda Purana (Prabhasa Khanda). According to these texts, the demon Daruka, along with his wife Daruki, terrorized the world. Daruki, a devotee of Parvati, received a boon that she could not be harmed by any male.

The gods approached Shiva, who, accompanied by Parvati, entered the forest Darukavan. Shiva manifested as a brilliant Jyotirlinga, and Parvati assumed the form of a serpent to confront Daruki. Overpowered, Daruki surrendered, and Shiva granted her liberation, establishing the linga as Nageshwar. Another version in the Skanda Purana tells of a devotee named Supriya, who was imprisoned by the demon Daruka and prayed to Shiva; the lord appeared as a Jyotirlinga and destroyed the demon. Iconographically, Nageshwar is represented as a linga, often adorned with serpents and a trishula.

The temple is a major pilgrimage site, especially during Maha Shivaratri and Nag Panchami. Devotees offer milk, bilva leaves, and perform abhishekam to seek protection from snake bites and poison. In Hindu cosmology, Nageshwar symbolizes Shiva's power over dangerous forces, particularly the serpentine energy (kundalini) and the poison of worldly existence. The Jyotirlinga is also associated with the Darukavan forest, representing the dense ignorance that Shiva dispels. Regional traditions in Gujarat and across India venerate Nageshwar as a guardian against snake-related afflictions, and the temple is one of the five Jyotirlingas in the Saurashtra region, forming a sacred circuit.

Linga form. Associated with protection from snake bites and poison.