Shakti Peeth

Baidyanath Nagri Deoghar is one of the most scared abodes of Lord Shiva and also known as Baidyanath Dham. Baidyanath Dham is located in Deoghar in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand, India.

The  importance of Baidyanath Dham among all 12 Jyotirlinga sites is due to it also on of the 51 Shakti Peeths in India.

 About Deoghar

Deoghar, also known as “Baidyanath Dham” and “Baba Dham“, is located in the state of Jharkhand, India. Due to the location of Baidyanath Jyotirling in the city of Baidyanath, the place got its name Deoghar, where Baba Baidyanath Shiva in the form of Jyotirlinga, and Shakti Swarupini Mata Parvati, resides in the middle of the Baidyanath temple, in the Shakti Peeth.

Baidyanath Temple commonly called Baidyanath Dham. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India and is considered to be the holiest abode of Lord Shiva. Baba Baidyanath Temple of Deoghar is very famous. Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple is also a Shakti Peeth, where the heart of Mother Sati fell, due to which it is also known as Hriday Peeth. It is said that all the wishes of those who come here are fulfilled. That is why this linga is also called “Kamna Linga”.

About Shakti Peeth

Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple, also commonly referred to as Baba Baidyanath Dham, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in india and is considered to be the holiest abode of Lord Shiva. Baba Baidyanath Temple is a Shakti Peeth,  it is called Hridaypeeth. According to mythology this is related to Daksha Yagya. When Sati went there and heard the disrespect of the husband from the father’s mouth, the yagna jumped into the pool. After that there was an outcry. Shiva reached there as soon as he heard. Enraged, he began to orgy with Sati’s dead body on his shoulder. Then Lord Vishnu cut the dead body of Sati into 52 parts with his chakra. The place where he fell was called Shakti Peeth.

The Baba Baidyanath Temple is also a shakti peeth, the heart of Sati was dropped here due to which it is also known as Hridaypeeth. The idols of  Maa Durga and Maa Parvati are  present on a rock inside the temple. People usually climb it and offer flowers and milk to the deities. Within the complex of temple Shakti Peeth is in front of  Baidyanath Temple. Both temples are joined by red silk ribbons in their tops, known as gathbandhans, which represent the sacred knot tied to the couple during the Saptapadi at the wedding. There is a belief that the couple who tie these two heads with ribbon, their family life will be happy with the blessings of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati.

In the Shiva Purana, the discussion of Dwadash Jyotirlinga is mentioned in the Baidyanatham Chitabhumau. It is said that when Lord Shiva was wandering in the universe with Sati’s body, Sati’s heart fell at this place. At that time, Lord Shiva was cremated here. Hence, this place is called Chita Bhoomi.

There are many facts about the Baidyanath Temple. There is a Chandrakanta Mani in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and from this continuous water comes out and falls on the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga. When people receive the water falling on Baidyanath Jyotirling as Charanamrit, then he gets rid of any disease. This is the only Jyotirlinga in the twelve Jyotirlinga where sindoor donation is done on the Shivalinga on the occasion of Mahashivaratri, as here Shiva and Shakti reside together.

This Jyotirlinga is also called “Kamna Linga”. It is believed that a person who goes to this place gets freedom from all kinds of diseases and all kinds of sins. Bad or negative thoughts are removed from a person’s mind. The person attains a higher level of spiritual consciousness.

There are 22 temples insight the temple complex. Like Baba Baidyanath Temple, Maa Kali Temple, Maa Annapurna Temple, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Neel Kanth Temple, Maa Parvati Temple, Maa Jagat Jananai Temple, Ganesh Temple, Brahma Temple, Maa Sandhya Temple, Kal Bhairav Temple, Hanuman Temple, Manasa Temple, Maa Saraswati Temple, Surya Narayan Temple,  Maa Bagla Temple, Narvadeshwara Temple, Shri Ram Temple, Maa Ganga Temple, Anand Bhairav Temple, Gauri Shankar Temple. Maa Tara Temple. There are 3 other sacred places insight the temple complex. Like Chandrakupa  well, Neel Chakra, Tulsi Chaura.

Baidyanath Dham Temple is visited daily by thousands of devotees for holy darshan of Lord Shiva. The festivals celebrated at Baidyanath Dham Temple are Shivaratri, Basant Panchami and Bhadra Purnima. But the importance of Baidyanath Dham Temple is more during the the month of Shrawan. During Shrawan Month lakhs of devotees visit the temple and it is considered as the longest religious fair in the world.

Importance

The major feature of this temple is that it has ‘Panchshul’ on its top, not Trishul, which is considered as a protective shield. It is believed that Lord Shiva is pleased with the mere sight of Panchshul.

There is ‘Trishul’ at the top of all the Jyotirpeeth temples, but Panchshul is installed in the temple of Baba Baidyanath. It is believed that due to the safety shield provided by Panchshul, this temple has not been affected by any natural disaster till date.

In addition to the Jyotirlinga Baba Baidyanath Temple, Shakti Peeth Maa Parvati Temple, 20 other temples are located in Baba Baidyanath Temple Complex With twenty two temples.

Highlights of Baba Baidyanath Temple

The very sacred and grand temple of Baba Bholenath is situated in Deoghar. Every year the Sravana Mela is held in the month of Sawan in which lakhs of devotees come to see Baba Bholenath by chanting “Bol-bomb” “Bol-bomb”. All these devotees take the holy Ganga water from Sultanganj and take a very hard walk of about hundred kilometers and offer water to Baba.

Mahashivratri and Panchshul worship in Baba Baidyanath Dham

There is a temple of Baba Baidyanath located in Deoghar district of Jharkhand in India. Trishul is seen on the top of all Shiva temples of the world, but on the top of Shiva, Parvati, Lakshmi-Narayana and all other temples of the Vaidyanathdham complex, Panchshul is placed on the top. Panchshul is taken down from the temples of. During this time, devotees throng to touch the Panchshul. As you will see in the pictures below. Panchshulas at the top of other temples located in the Baidyanath Dham complex are taken off a few days before Mahashivratri. They are specially worshiped a day before Mahashivaratri by bringing down all the Panchshulas and then all the Panchshulas are placed in place at the temples. During this time the alliance of Baba and Parvati temples is removed. A new alliance is made on the day of Mahashivratri. Crowds of devotees throng to get the red sacred cloth of the alliance. During Mahashivratri, many pilgrims reach Baidyanath Dham from Sultanganj across Kanwar, filling the Ganges water and walking 105 km and chanting ‘Bol Bomb’.