The Truth About Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga

February 25,2026 | Added by:

When is the Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga Worshipped?

The Vaidyanath Dham was built in the 8th century AD. The temple was maintained during the reign of the last Gupta emperor, King Aditya Sena Gupta. The Mughals did not touch the temple, and Mughal Emperor Akbar's brother-in-law built a pond near the temple in Deoghar, known as Mansarovar. Believed that, some muslims also worshipped Vaidyanath Baba, as the temple maintained its importance even during Muslim rule in India.

Why is the Temple's Structure Different from Hindu Temples?

If you pay attention to the temple's structure, it appears to resemble a pyramid. The gold plating on the temple was donated by Raja Purna Singh, the Maharaja of Gidhaur. Five trident-shaped knives, called Panchsulas, and an eight-pointed lotus gem, called the Chandrakanta Mani, were also donated by Raja Purna Singh.

Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is the 10th Jyotirlinga

Baba Baidyanath is considered the 10th among the 12 Jyotirlingas. Located in Deoghar in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand, this temple is visited by millions of devotees every year. Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and its story is also very unique, which we will tell in detail later.

The place where Baba Baidyanath ji's temple is located is also known as Baba Baidyanath Dham. This place has great spiritual significance and is considered a powerful place for worship and healing. It is very crowded during the month of Shravan, Shivratri and Sankranti. Every year, millions of devotees come to visit Lord Baidyanath.

The Story of Baba Bidyanath Jyotirlinga

According to mythology, you know that there was no greater devotee of Shiva than Ravana. He went to the Himalayas and performed severe penance to appease Lord Shiva. During his rigorous penance, he cut off his nine heads one by one and offered them to the Shivalinga. When he was about to cut off his last head, Lord Shiva, pleased, appointed him to the position of head of the human race.

Ravana then asked Shivaji for a boon: "Oh Lord of the Gods, Mahadev! I want you to come with me and live forever in my Lanka. I will serve you with all my heart, mind, and wealth. I will not let anything go wrong in your worship." Then Shivaji said, "Tathasthu," meaning, "I accepted Ravana's request."

He said, "So I will go with you, because you are such a great devotee of mine. Who else can care for me more than you? But there is one condition: you will take me with you. But wherever you place me on the land once, I will become established there." Then Shivaji transformed into a linga, and Ravana happily picked up the linga and departed.

Because who is taking Mahadev, the God of Gods, to his Lanka. Seeing this, the other Gods like Indra, Varuna, Agni Dev, Brmha Dev etc. are showed great tension. Everyone said what should be done now, if Mahadev stays in Lanka, then how will things work. Thinking this, everyone went to Lord Vishnu and prayed that this is not under the control of the universe.

How can Lord Mahadev stay in Lanka? Lord Vishnu asked all the Gods like Brahma Ji, Indra Dev, Varun Dev, Vayu Dev, Agni Dev etc. to have patience and said that I will think of some solution for this. What happened then?

Brother, what else was to happen? Lord Vishnu, all this is his play and he is the creator of this universe, he can do anything he wants.

Ravana was carrying the idol through the sky when suddenly he felt the urge to urinate. He tried to control himself and remembered Lord Shiva's words, which he had said would establish him wherever he placed it. He felt the urge to urinate. He said, "No matter what happens, I can't place it anywhere else.

I have attained Shivaji through so much penance, and I can't make such a mistake." But gradually, the urge to urinate grew stronger. Ravana wondered, "What should I do now? I can't put it down, and I can't urinate while holding Shivalinga in my hands. So, what should I do?"

Then suddenly, the urge to urinate became so strong that it was difficult to hold it back. He forgot everything for a moment. He saw a man, an Ahir Jat coming towards him. He handed him the lingam and went to relieve himself, telling him not to place it down. But because the lingam was so heavy, the Ahir placed it on the ground. The lingam remained motionless there.

After urinating, when he thought about it, he looked down at the Shiv Linga and asked, what did you do with this? I had told you not to put it down and you put it down? The Ahir said, Maharaj! I could not bear its weight, so I was forced to put it down. There was not ultimate choice for me.

Then when Ravana lifted it, why did the Shiv Linga get up? It became motionless there itself because it was the words of Lord Shiva. Then he bowed to Shivaji and said, Hey! Mritnjaya, Hey Devon ke Dev Mahadev! I can understand everything, this is all your play, saying this then Ravana went towards his Lanka.

The place where Ravana had kept the Linga is in Deoghar of Jharkhand, today the same Lingam is known by the name of Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga.

Ravana offered each of his heads to Shivaji during worship. Lord Shiva reattached all his heads, acting as a physician. That is why he is known as Vaidyanath. The term “Vaidya” means doctor, and he is the doctor of doctors. It is believed that worshipping and anointing Lord Vaidyanath here provides relief from all ailments and diseases, no matter how serious.

Baba Baidyanath is also mentioned in the Koti Rudra Samhita

The story of Shri Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga is written in the Koti Rudra Samhita of the Shri Shiva Mahapuran as follows: The demon king Ravana was not only arrogant but also quick to express his ego.

Once, he was worshipping Lord Shiva with devotion on Mount Kailash. When Lord Shiva was not pleased with him even after many days of worship, he again resorted to a different method of penance. He dug a hole in the densely tree-filled forest south of the Siddhisthal Himalayas and prepared a sugarcane.

Ravana, the pride of the demon clan, established a fire in the pit and began performing havans and offerings. He also installed Lord Shiva there beside him. For his penance, he adopted strict discipline and discipline.

During the summer, he would consume fragrant Panchagni (five fires) between five fires. During the rainy season, he would sleep on a platform in the open field, and during the winter, he would stand in water up to his neck.

Ravana's penance continued through these three practices. Despite his rigorous austerities, Lord Maheshwara was not pleased. It is said that, it is very difficult for an evil spirit to appease the Lord. When Ravana's rigorous austerities failed to yield results, he began worshipping Lord Shiva by cutting off his heads one by one.

He would worship the Lord according to the scriptures, and after that worship, he would cut off one of his heads and offer it to the Lord. Thus, he cut off nine of his heads. When he was about to cut off his final tenth head, the devotee-loving Lord Maheshwara became pleased and pleased with him. He appeared in person and restored all of Ravana's heads, restoring them to their original state.

The Lord granted the demon king Ravana unparalleled strength and valor, as desired. After receiving Lord Shiva's blessings, he bowed down and humbly folded his hands and said, "Lord Shiva, be pleased with me. I have come to your shelter and will take you to Lanka. Please grant my wish."

Hearing Ravana's words, Lord Shiva was thrown into a state of confusion. To avert the moral dilemma, he reluctantly said, "King of demons, take this excellent lingam of mine to your capital with devotion, but remember: if you place it on the ground on the way, it will become immovable there. Now do as you wish." When the lingam became fixed there, driven by a sense of public welfare, Ravana, disheartened, departed for his capital.

Upon reaching the capital, he recounted the entire incident to his wife, Mandodari. Indra and other deities and sages, hearing the news of the lingam, consulted among themselves and arrived there. Due to their unwavering devotion towards Lord Shiva, they worshipped the Linga with utmost joy as per the prescribed rituals.

There are many stories in the Shiva Purana which tell that Shiva is the lord of physicians. It is said that Shiva assumed a fierce form and severed the head of his father-in-law Daksha with his trident. Later, when there were many requests, Baba Baidyanath searched for the head in all the three worlds but could not find it. After this, he cut off the head of a goat and transplanted it on the body of Daksha.

This is why people worship Mahadev by chanting the sound of a goat, "B,B,B." By blowing the cheek, they make this sound to appease the trained Baba.

So, here is the unique stories shared with you of Baba Baidyanath Ji. Hope you liked it. It is believed that seeing him cures all types of diseases and ailments. If you want to see Baba Ji, you can easily reach him via the location route given below.

By Air

The nearest airport to Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is Deoghar Airport, approximately 12 km away, with direct flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Patna. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are available from there to the temple within 15 to 30 minutes. Communication is very easy to go there.

By Train

The nearest major railway station is Jasidih Railway Junction, about 7-10 km from the temple. It is well connected to major cities in India by direct trains like the Rajdhani Express. From Jasidih, you can easily reach the temple by local shuttle, bus, auto-rickshaw, or taxi.

By Road

Several interstate buses run to Baidyanath Dham from Ranchi (250 km), or from Patna (238 km), and Deoghar is easily accessible by road from Kolkata and Bhubaneswar. Private cars, buses, and shared cabs are available to reach Deoghar directly from these cities.

Baidyanath Jyotirlinga in Google Map

Frequent Asked Questions(FAQs)

Kedarnath Dham typically opens in late April or May and closes in October or November. Specifically, the temple doors open on Akshaya Tritiya and close on the day following Diwali.

To reach Kedarnath, you must first travel to Haridwar, Rishikesh, or Dehradun. From there, you need to proceed to Sonprayag or Gaurikund. From Gaurikund, a 16-kilometer trek on foot is required to reach Kedarnath.

The best time to visit is from May to June and from September to October. This is because, during these periods, rainfall is not heavy enough to pose a risk of landslides, nor is the weather excessively cold.

For Darshan (viewing) at Kedarnath, the temple remains open from 4:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is situated in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) district of the state of Maharashtra. It is located in a village named Verul, where the temple of Lord Grishneshwar stands.

Aarti is performed three times a day at the Grishneshwar temple: once early in the morning at 4:00 AM though this timing is subject to change, particularly in case of inclement weather, once at 12:00 PM (noon), and finally, the Mangal Aarti is held at 9:30 PM at night.

The best time to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is during the months of October to March. This period offers pleasant weather neither too hot nor too cold making it the ideal time for sightseeing and exploration.

If you wish to visit of the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, you must first travel to Aurangabad. You can reach Aurangabad by road, air, or train. From Aurangabad, you then need to proceed to Verul village, a journey that typically takes about one hour. The Grishneshwar Temple is situated within Verul village.

Women are prohibited from entering the sanctum sanctorum where the Shivalinga is located during the Bhasma Aarti. They can view the Aarti from the Nandi Hall or from outside, behind a curtain.

The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is located on the banks of the Kshipra River in Ujjain city, Madhya Pradesh, India.

The timing of Bhasma Aarti at the Mahakaleshwar Temple is from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM in the early morning.

Malikarjuna Jyotirlinga is situated in Sree Sailam of Andhra Pradesh. Where are you coming from India? You came to Hyderabad and from there. You will get everything by train, by air and by road. The nearest railway station is Marakpur Road, around 85KM from Kurnool.

In Malikarjuna Jyotirlinga, there is a wonderful confluence of Shiva and Shakti (Parvati). This is the only place in India where the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva (Mallikarjuna) and the Shaktipeeth of Mother Parvati (Bhramaramba) are present in the same temple complex.

Yes, here Lord Shiva is present in the form of Mallikarjuna and Mother Parvati is present in the form of Bhramaramba. Here Devi Bhramaramba is 18th number of Shakti Peetha.

The darshan of Somnath temple is from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

The nearest railway station is Somnath Railway Station. Besides this, Veraval junction, Junagadh Junction are also the near to Somnath Temple.

Mobile, cameras, smart watches, electronic gadgets, laptops, leather items like belts, purse, wallets, bags, luggage and foods are not allowed inside the temple.

The Moon or Chandra which is known as “Soma Dev” built and worshiped the original Shiva Lingam in gold to regain its lost luster, which gives the temple its name as Somnath. Somanth Jyotirlingam is called the 1st Jyotirlingam.

It is written in Hindu scriptures that in ancient times, sages and saints believed that the moon god (Som Dev) established a Shivalingam of Lord Shiva here and performed severe penance to free himself from the curse of Daksha Prajapati. Hence, it is known as Somnath.

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is located in Bhorgiri village, Maharashtra, around 110-120 km from Pune city.

The darshan timing of Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is from 4:30 AM to 9:30 PM.

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is the 6th Jyotirlinga. This place is especially known for its religious significance, beautiful architecture, and rich natural diversity. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva killed Bhasmasura here, and during the battle, he sweated profusely. Later, it took the form of a river, which is known today as the Bhima River.

The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple doors generally open at 4:30 AM for the Kakada Aarti and close at 9:30 PM. For Abhishek Pujas, you can typically book between 5:30 AM and 12:00 PM, and again in the afternoon from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM.

There is 5 times Aarti performed in Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The temple generally opens in 2:30 AM and closes 11:00PM daily.

The Arti Timing is basically like following:

Day time

Mangla Aarti: 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM

Bhog Aarti: 11:15 AM to 12:20 PM

Night Time

Saptarishi Aarti: 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM

Shringar and Bhog Aarti: 9:00 PM to 10:15PM

Shayan Aarti: 10:30 PM to 11:00 PM

Mandir opens in very early 2:30 AM, go very early for Mangala Aarti. You will see calm and empty lanes. If you want to entertain lights and music with Aarti, come in the evening aarti called Saptarishi Aarti. You will be experienced a huge crowd.

Carry a printed ticket and an ID. Some entries ask for ID like Aadhar Card, Election I Card, Driving License, Passport. Carry a small water bottle and basic medicines for headache, stomach, loose motion. Keep some changes for autos and small shops. Big notes can be hard to change in lanes.

The Rameshwaram Jyotirlingam was consecrated by Lord Rama to mark the inauguration of the union. He invited Ravana as a priest to consecrate the Shivalingam. That is why this Jyotirlingam is known as Rameshwaram. Most importantly, Rameshwaram is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams and is one of the four Dhams.

Rameswaram is one of the four Dhams and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams. Therefore, people go there to attain salvation, liberation from sins, and to pay homage to their ancestors and perform the immersion of ashes.

October to March are the best months to visit Rameshwaram temple. Because that time is neither very hot nor very cold, and is the best time to travel anywhere in India.

Yes, there is a strict dress code for darshan at Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga. To maintain the sanctity of the temple, all devotees are advised to wear modest and traditional Indian clothing. For men, dhoti and shirt, or kurta-pajama. For women, saree or salwar kameez with dupatta. Avoid jeans, short dresses, t-shirts, shirts, and transparent dresses.

Yes, women are fully permitted entry into the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram! Women can not only visit the temple, but can also bathe in the 22 sacred ponds called “Theerthams” inside the temple before entering the main sanctum sanctorum. But only in sarees, salwar suits, with dupattas. Women in wet and filthy clothes are strictly prohibited.

The Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is located on the Saurashtra coast in Gujarat, India. It is situated just 17 km from the city of Dwarka. The exact location is Daarukavanam, Goriyali, Gujarat-361335.

The timings for Darshan at Nageshwar Temple are from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM.

No cameras, mobile phones, and other electronic gadgets are not allowed inside Nageshwar Temple. Furthermore, please note that in India, for security reasons, mobile phones, cameras, and electronic gadgets are generally not permitted inside any major temple, Jyotirlinga shrine, or pilgrimage site (Dham).