Sri Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga is situated on the Srisailparvata, which is called the Kailas of the South, on the banks of the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh. Its glory and importance have been described in detail in the scriptures like Mahabharata, Shiva Purana and Padma Purana.
The story of this Jyotirlinga is described in the Puranas as follows. Once upon a time, Lord Shankar's two sons Shri Ganesh and Shri Karthikeya Swami started fighting each other for marriage. Everyone insisted that I should get married first.
Seeing them fighting and quarreling, Lord Shankar and Mother Bhavani said – The one who will come back here after going round the whole earth first, will be married first. Hearing this from his parents, Sri Karthikeya Swami, seated on his vehicle, Peacock, immediately ran for the earth circumambulation. But for Ganeshji, this task was very difficult. One, his physique was gross, secondly, his vehicle was also a mouse-rat. Well, how could he match Swami Karthikeya in the race?
But his intellect was as subtle and sharp in proportion as his physique was gross. He immediately found an easy way to circumambulate the earth, after worshiping the parents sitting in front, he completed the work of earth circumambulation by doing seven rounds of them. His work was scripture-approved-
Pitrosch poojanam kritva prakrantin chi kroti yaha.
Tasya vai prithivijanyam phalaam bhavati nisham
By the time Swami Kartikeya returned after circling the whole earth, Ganesha was married to two daughters named 'Siddhi' and 'Buddhi' and had also got two sons named 'Kshem' and 'Labh'. Seeing all this, Swami Karthikeya went to the mountain of Krauncha very angry. Mother Parvati came there to persuade him. After reaching there Lord Shankar appeared in the form of Jyotirlinga and since then became famous as Mallikarjuna-Jyotirlinga. They were first worshiped with Mallika flowers. This is the reason for getting the name Mallikarjuna.
Another story is also told that at some time near this rock mountain was the capital of King Chandragupta. For the prevention of any particular calamity, one of his daughters came out of the palace and came to the ashram of this mountain king and started living with the gopas here. That girl had a very auspicious Lakshara beautiful Shyama cow. Somebody used to steal the milk of that cow at night.
One day, by chance, the princess saw the thief milking her and ran towards the thief in anger, but after reaching the cow, she saw that there was nothing other than the Shivling. After some time the princess built a huge temple on that Shivling. This Shivling is famous as Mallikarjuna. A huge fair is held here on the festival of Shivratri.
All the sattvik wishes of the devotees who worship and worship this Mallikarjuna-Shivling are fulfilled. He has a steady love at the feet of Lord Shiva. They are freed from all kinds of obstacles, physical, divine, material.
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