The Baidyanath Jyotirlinga temple, also known as Baidyanath Dham, is a revered place of worship and pilgrimage for devotees of Lord Shiva. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India, and is considered the most sacred abode of Lord Shiva. Situated in the Deoghar division of Jharkhand state, the temple complex is grand and magnificent, comprising the main temple of Baba Baidyanath where the Jyotirlinga is enshrined, along with twenty-one other beautiful and significant temples.
पूर्वोत्तरे प्रज्वलिकानिधाने सदा वसन्तं गिरिजासमेतम्।
सुरासुराराधितपादपद्मं श्रीवैद्यनाथं तमहं नमामि ॥
“भावार्थ”:
जो भगवान् शंकर पूर्वोत्तर दिशा में चिताभूमि वैद्यनाथ धाम के अन्दर सदा ही पार्वती सहित विराजमान हैं, और देवता व दानव जिनके चरणकमलों की आराधना करते हैं, उन्हीं ‘श्री वैद्यनाथ’ नाम से विख्यात शिव को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ ।
Story Of Baidyanath Jyotirlinga
Ravana, the mighty king of Lanka, was known for his deep devotion to Lord Shiva despite his arrogant and stubborn nature. He had a burning desire to bring Lord Shiva to his abode in Lanka permanently.
To fulfill this wish, Ravana went to Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and in his fervent devotion, he started offering his own heads as sacrifice, one by one, to please the supreme lord. However, each time he cut off his head, Lord Shiva replaced it with a new one. This went on nine times.
On the tenth attempt, Lord Shiva appeared before Ravana, pleased with his unwavering devotion, and agreed to accompany him to Lanka in the form of a Shivlingam. However, Lord Shiva laid down a condition that Ravana must not place the Shivlingam on the ground until he reached Lanka. If the lingam touched the ground, it would become rooted and could not be moved again.
As Ravana started his journey to Lanka with the Shivlingam, all the Gods became anxious, fearing that Ravana might use this opportunity to gain power over heaven. So, they held a meeting with Lord Vishnu to find a solution.
According to the plan, the river Ganga entered Ravana’s body, forcing him to urgently pass water. Ravana sought help from a disguised shepherd, who agreed to hold the lingam while Ravana relieved himself. However, the process took longer than expected due to the presence of Ganga inside Ravana’s body. The shepherd grew tired and placed the lingam on the ground, which then transformed into a sacred pond known as Shiva Ganga.
After finishing his task, Ravana tried to uproot the Shivlingam from the ground but failed. In frustration, he pushed the lingam into the earth, giving rise to one of the twelve lingams of Lord Shiva, known as Ravaneshwar Baidyanath Jyotirlinga (or Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga).
It is believed that those who come to this sacred place and offer Gangajal (water from the Ganges River) to the Shivlingam have their wishes fulfilled. This lingam is also known as Kamna Linga, the lingam of desires. In recent times, the lingam was taken out of the earth and worshipped by devotees.
The Major Importance of Baba Dham Deoghar Temple
In the sacred land of Baidyanath Dham, this is the only place in India where Jyotirlinga and Shaktipeeth are united. It is also known as Hridya Peeth or Hardpeeth, as it is believed to be the spot where the heart of Mata Sati had fallen. The divine convergence of Mata Sati’s Hridyapeeth with Lord Mahadev in the form of Jyotirlinga makes this place of great significance.
Among the twelve Jyotirlingas, this is the only one where vermilion (Sindur) is offered (Sindur Daan) during the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri, as Lord Shiva and Shakti are together here.
How To Reach Baidyaanth Dham Deoghar
Baidyanath Dham Deoghar is well-connected to other major cities of the country by rail, road and air.
Nearest Bust Stand:
- Baidyanath Dham temple is approximately 2 kilometers away from Deoghar Bus Stand.
Deoghar is 16 kilometers from Sarwan, 36 kilometers from Sarath, 41 kilometers from Jarmundi, 52 kilometers from Chandmari, 52 kilometers from Bengabad, 68 kilometers from Deor, 70 kilometers from Giridih, 132 kilometers from Dhanbad, and 148 kilometers from Koderma. These distances can be covered via Jharkhand State Road Transport Corporation Limited, West Bengal State Road Transport Corporation Limited, and private travel services.
Nearest Railway Station:
- Jasidih Junction is the nearest railway station, located approximately 7 kilometers from Deoghar temple.
- Deoghar Railway Station is around 3 kilometers away.
- Baidyanath Dham Railway Station is approximately 2 kilometers away.
The Jasidih Junction is on the Howrah (Kolkata)-Patna-New Delhi rail route, while Deoghar and Baidyanath Dham Railway Stations serve as local stations.
Nearest Airport:
- Birsa Munda Airport Ranchi is the closest international airport, located 250 kilometers away.
- Lok Nayak Airport Patna is approximately 255 kilometers away.
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport Kolkata is approximately 271 kilometers away.
- Deoghar Airport is around 9 kilometers away.
There are daily international flights from New Delhi and Kolkata to the closest international airports, and domestic flights can be availed from Patna and Durgapur.
