Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotram: Hymn to the Twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva
Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotram - Sanskrit Text
सौराष्ट्रदेशे विशदेऽतिरम्ये ज्योतिर्मयं चन्द्रकलावतंसम् ।
भक्तिप्रदानाय कृपावतीर्णं तं सोमनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥१॥
श्रीशैलशृङ्गे विबुधातिसङ्गे तुलाद्रितुङ्गेऽपि मुदा वसन्तम् ।
तमर्जुनं मल्लिकपूर्वमेकं नमामि संसारसमुद्रसेतुम् ॥२॥
अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारं मुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम् ।
अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थं वन्दे महाकालमहासुरेशम् ॥३॥
कावेरिकानर्मदयोः पवित्रे समागमे सज्जनतारणाय ।
सदैवमान्धातृपुरे वसन्तमोङ्कारमीशं शिवमेकमीडे ॥४॥
पूर्वोत्तरे प्रज्वलिकानिधाने सदा वसन्तं गिरिजासमेतम् ।
सुरासुराराधितपादपद्मं श्रीवैद्यनाथं तमहं नमामि ॥५॥
याम्ये सदङ्गे नगरेऽतिरम्ये विभूषिताङ्गं विविधैश्च भोगैः ।
सद्भक्तिमुक्तिप्रदमीशमेकं श्रीनागनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥६॥
महाद्रिपार्श्वे च तटे रमन्तं सम्पूज्यमानं सततं मुनीन्द्रैः ।
सुरासुरैर्यक्षमहोरगाढ्यैः केदारमीशं शिवमेकमीडे ॥७॥
सह्याद्रिशीर्षे विमले वसन्तं गोदावरितीरपवित्रदेशे ।
यद्दर्शनात्पातकमाशु नाशं प्रयाति तं त्र्यम्बकमीशमीडे ॥८॥
सुताम्रपर्णीजलराशियोगे निबध्य सेतुं विशिखैरसङ्ख्यैः ।
श्रीरामचन्द्रेण समर्पितं तं रामेश्वराख्यं नियतं नमामि ॥९॥
यं डाकिनीशाकिनिकासमाजे निषेव्यमाणं पिशिताशनैश्च ।
सदैव भीमादिपदप्रसिद्धं तं शङ्करं भक्तहितं नमामि ॥१०॥
सानन्दमानन्दवने वसन्तमानन्दकन्दं हतपापवृन्दम् ।
वाराणसीनाथमनाथनाथं श्रीविश्वनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥११॥
इलापुरे रम्यविशालकेऽस्मिन् समुल्लसन्तं च जगद्वरेण्यम् ।
वन्दे महोदारतरस्वभावं घृष्णेश्वराख्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥१२॥
ज्योतिर्मयद्वादशलिङ्गकानां शिवात्मनां प्रोक्तमिदं क्रमेण ।
स्तोत्रं पठित्वा मनुजोऽतिभक्त्या फलं तदालोक्य निजं भजेच्च ॥
॥ इति द्वादश ज्योतिर्लिङ्गस्तोत्रं संपूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
saurāṣṭradeśe viśade'tiramye jyotirmayaṃ candrakalāvataṃsam |
bhaktipradānāya kṛpāvatīrṇaṃ taṃ somanāthaṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye ||1||
śrīśailaśṛṅge vibudhātisaṅge tulādrituṅge'pi mudā vasantam |
tamarjunaṃ mallikapūrvamekaṃ namāmi saṃsārasamudrasetum ||2||
(... the hymn continues through all twelve Jyotirlingas - Mahakala, Omkareshwar, Vaidyanatha, Nagesha, Kedara, Tryambaka, Rameshwara, Bhimashankara, Vishvanatha and Ghrishneshwara - concluding with the phalashruti:) jyotirmayadvādaśaliṅgakānāṃ śivātmanāṃ proktamidaṃ krameṇa | stotraṃ paṭhitvā manujo'tibhaktyā phalaṃ tadālokya nijaṃ bhajecca ||
Meaning
Verse by verse, the stotra takes the devotee on a pilgrimage to the twelve Jyotirlingas - the self-manifested "pillars of light" of Shiva. It bows to Somnath in radiant Saurashtra, crowned with the crescent moon; to Mallikarjuna on the peak of Srishaila; to Mahakala of Avanti (Ujjain) who guards against untimely death; to Omkareshwar at the sacred confluence; to Vaidyanatha worshipped by gods and demons; to Nagesha; to Kedara in the Himalayas served by sages; to Tryambaka on the bank of the Godavari, whose mere sight destroys sin; to Rameshwara consecrated by Lord Rama; to Bhimashankara, beloved of devotees; to Vishvanatha, lord of Varanasi and refuge of the helpless; and to Ghrishneshwara at Ilapura (Ellora). The closing verse promises that one who recites this hymn of the twelve light-lingas with devotion attains its fruit and Shiva's grace.
About this Stotra
The Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotram is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, the great 8th-century philosopher-saint. It enshrines in a single garland of verses the twelve holiest Shiva shrines of India, spread from Gujarat and Maharashtra to Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Each Jyotirlinga is a place where Shiva is believed to have manifested as an infinite column of light, and this stotra weaves them into one continuous act of worship.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
Reciting the Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotram is said to confer the spiritual merit of visiting all twelve sacred shrines, without leaving home. It is especially associated with protection from akala mrityu (untimely or accidental death), through the grace of Mahakala of Ujjain invoked within it. Devotees chant it to purify past sins, gain Shiva's protection, steady the mind, and progress toward both worldly well-being (bhukti) and liberation (mukti). Its rhythmic Sanskrit makes it a beloved daily prayer for Shiva bhaktas.
Astrological Relevance
Lord Shiva is the supreme deity invoked for the appeasement of malefic planetary influences, and the worship of the Jyotirlingas is a classic remedy in Vedic astrology. Shiva worship is especially prescribed for afflictions of Saturn (Shani) - the karaka of longevity and karma - and the protection from untimely death within this stotra speaks directly to longevity (ayur) concerns indicated by a weak 8th house, afflicted lagna lord, or difficult Saturn periods. The Moon adorning Shiva's head links his worship to mental peace and a strong, calm Chandra. Monday, ruled by the Moon and sacred to Shiva, is the ideal day for its recitation.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit before a Shiva lingam or image of Lord Shiva. Light a lamp, offer bilva (bel) leaves, white flowers, and water or milk abhisheka, and apply vibhuti (sacred ash). Recite the twelve verses with devotion, visualising each Jyotirlinga as you name it, and conclude with the phalashruti and a prayer for Shiva's grace. Daily recitation, or recitation through the month of Shravan, is especially meritorious.
Best Day & Time
Monday (Somvar) and the pradosha hours (dusk) are ideal, as is the early Brahma Muhurta. Maha Shivaratri, the Mondays of Shravan, and pradosha vrata days are the most powerful occasions for this stotra.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Jyotirlinga?
A Jyotirlinga is a shrine where Lord Shiva is believed to have appeared as a self-manifested, infinite column of radiant light (jyoti). There are twelve principal Jyotirlingas across India, all honoured in this stotra.
Does reciting this stotra equal visiting the shrines?
Tradition holds that devout recitation grants spiritual merit comparable to pilgrimage to all twelve Jyotirlingas, making it a cherished practice for those who cannot travel to each site.
Why is Mahakala associated with protection from death?
Mahakala of Ujjain is invoked as the lord of time (kala) and death itself; his verse specifically prays for rakshana (protection) from akala mrityu, untimely death, which is why this stotra is recited for longevity and safety.
A pilgrimage of sound through twelve lights of Shiva
The Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotram, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, is one of the most elegant of all Shaiva geographical hymns - a stotra that transforms a map of India into an act of worship. By naming each of the twelve Jyotirlingas in verse, from Somnath on the western shore to Ghrishneshwar near Ellora, the hymn draws the mind on an inner pilgrimage across the subcontinent, pausing at each sacred site to invoke the specific form of Shiva enshrined there. The tradition holds that reciting this stotra bestows the spiritual merit of physically visiting all twelve shrines - a profoundly generous teaching that makes the fruits of pilgrimage available to those whose circumstances do not permit long journeys.
In the Jyotish tradition, Shiva as the lord of time and dissolution is associated with Saturn and with the transformative potential of difficult planetary periods; the Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotram is therefore often recommended as a protective recitation during trying transits or in the event of untimely illness in the family. Beyond astrological use, the stotra's geography has a contemplative dimension - each Jyotirlinga is a point where Shiva manifested as a limitless pillar of light, breaking all categories and boundaries. Meditating on these twelve lights while chanting, the tradition suggests, gradually loosens the devotee's identification with the limited body-mind and opens awareness to the possibility of that same boundless luminosity within. Pradosh Vrat days and Shivaratri are the most auspicious occasions for its recitation.