Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga

Omkareshwar Jyothirlinga
Omkareshwar Mahadev Temple
Location in Madhya Pradesh
Basic information
Location	Madhya Pradesh, India
Geographic coordinates	22°14′44.1″N 76°09′03.8″E / 22.245583°N 76.151056°E / 22.245583; 76.151056Coordinates: 22°14′44.1″N 76°09′03.8″E / 22.245583°N 76.151056°E / 22.245583; 76.151056
Deity	Omkareshwar(Shiva)
District	Khandwa
State	Madhya Pradesh
Country	India
Website	http://www.shriomkareshwar.org

Omkareshwar (IAST: Ōṃkārēśvar) is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river; the shape of the island is said to be like the Hindu ॐ symbol.

There are two main temples of Lord Shiva here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of the Om Sound") located in the island and one to Amareshwar (whose name means "Immortal lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas") located on the south bank of Narmada River on the mainland. As per the sloka on dwadash jyotirligam, Mamleshwar the other name of Amareshwar is the jyotirling, nonetheless, many consider both Omkareshwar and Mamleshwar equally sacred and representative of jyotirling at this sacred place.

As per Shiv Mahapuran, once Brahma (the Hindu God of creation) and Vishnu (the Hindu God of Protection and Care) had an argument in terms of supremacy of creation. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the jyotirlinga. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways to downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions. Brahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity. The jyotirlinga is the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. The jyothirlinga shrines, thus are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. Originally there were believed to be 64 jyothirlingas while 12 of them are considered to be very auspicious and holy. Each of the twelve jyothirlinga sites take the name of the presiding deity - each considered different manifestation of Shiva. At all these sites, the primary image is lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva.