Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga (Baba Baidyanath Dham)

Deoghar, Deoghar district, Jharkhand

Jyotirlinga 5/12
12 Jyotirlingas

Traditions differ: More than one place is linked with this jyotirlinga. The popular stotra line 'परल्यां वैद्यनाथं' places it at Parli, and devotees in Maharashtra worship Shri Vaijnath at Parli in Beed district as this jyotirlinga. Many other devotees, especially in north and east India, follow the Shiv Puran reading 'वैद्यनाथं चिताभूमौ' and worship Baba Baidyanath at Deoghar as the jyotirlinga. Some also link the Baijnath temple at Kangra in Himachal Pradesh with it. All of these temples are places of deep faith.

About

Vaidyanath is the fifth jyotirlinga. Crores of devotees worship it as Baba Baidyanath at Deoghar in Jharkhand and lovingly call it Baba Dham. Vaidyanath means 'Lord of healers'. The temple complex has the main shrine of Baba Baidyanath and twenty-one other temples. Among them, the shrine of Maa Parvati (Jaya Durga) is counted among the Shakti Peethas, and the two shrines are tied together with red sacred threads. In the month of Shravan, during the Shravani Mela, the whole town turns saffron as kanwariyas arrive with Ganga water.

The story

Ravan, the king of Lanka, was a great devotee of Shiv. He did hard tapasya in the Himalaya and prayed to Shiv to come to Lanka with him. Shiv gave him a linga with one condition: if it was put down on the ground anywhere on the way, it would stay there for ever. The devas grew worried. On the way back, Ravan had to stop near Deoghar. He handed the linga to a cowherd boy to hold. Devotees believe the boy was Vishnu ji in disguise; local tradition calls him Baiju. The boy set the linga down on the ground. When Ravan returned, he tried with all his strength but could not lift it. In anger he pressed it with his thumb, and devotees say the mark can still be seen. The devas then worshipped the linga, and Shiv stayed here as Baidyanath.

Every Shravan, kanwariyas fill Ganga water at Sultanganj and walk about a hundred kilometres to offer it to Baba.

Visiting

October to February is comfortable; the Shravani Mela brings very large crowds. Wear simple clothes and be ready for long queues. Many pilgrims also visit the Basukinath temple after Baba Dham. Jasidih railway station is close to the temple.