Somnath - First Jyotirlinga - Where Lord Shiva First Appeared as Light

The First Among the Twelve

Somnath is considered the oldest and most sacred of all 12 Jyotirlingas. The Shiva Purana declares it the original Jyotirlinga - the place where Lord Shiva first appeared in the form of light.

This temple stands on the western coast of Gujarat where the land meets the Arabian Sea. The sound of the waves, the salt air, and the glow of the Shivalinga inside - pilgrims say that standing here feels like standing at the very edge of the divine.

 

What Does the Name Somnath Mean?

Soma - the Moon God (also a sacred drink in Vedic rituals)

Nath - Lord or Master

So Somnath means 'Lord of the Moon'. This name comes from a beautiful and touching story.

 

The Story of the Moon God's Curse

This story comes from the Shiva Purana and the Skanda Purana. Long ago, the Moon God Chandra married the 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati. But Chandra loved only one wife - Rohini - and ignored all the others. The other 26 wives were heartbroken and went to their father Daksha. Daksha was furious and cursed the Moon: 'You will lose your brightness. You will grow smaller until you disappear completely.' The whole world was alarmed - without the Moon there would be no moonlight, no tides, no growth of crops.

 

MYTH: How Shiva Saved the Moon The Moon God came to this very place on the coast of Gujarat and performed intense tapas (penance) to Lord Shiva. He bathed in the sacred sea waters every day and prayed with complete surrender. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Shiva appeared and said, 'I cannot fully remove Daksha's curse, but I will reduce its effect. You will grow smaller for 15 days and then grow bigger for 15 days - forever.' This is why the moon waxes and wanes every month. The place where the Moon prayed and received Shiva's grace became Somnath. The Shiva Purana says that the Moon himself built the original Somnath temple out of gold as a mark of gratitude.

 

FACT: The Moon's Cycle and Somnath Modern science explains the moon's waxing and waning through its orbit around the Earth. But the story of Somnath gives a deeper meaning - a reminder that even the Moon had to surrender to Shiva to find peace.

 

Somnath Through the Ages - A Temple That Never Gave Up

Period	What Happened
Ancient Times	Moon God believed to have built the first temple in gold
Ravana's Age	Ravana rebuilt it in silver (mentioned in Puranas)
Krishna's Age	Lord Krishna rebuilt it in wood
Gupta Period	King Bhimdev rebuilt it in stone
1024 AD	Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and looted the temple
After 1024	Rebuilt by King Bhimdev of Gujarat
1299 AD	Attacked by Alauddin Khilji's general
Multiple times	Attacked and rebuilt again by devoted kings
1947 onwards	Sardar Patel vowed to rebuild it after Independence
1951	Present temple consecrated - Somnath lives again

MYTH: The Shivalinga That Could Not Be Destroyed It is said that when Mahmud of Ghazni's soldiers arrived at Somnath, the priests quickly hid the sacred Jyotirlinga deep underground before the attackers reached the inner shrine. The Jyotirlinga was never actually destroyed - only the outer temple was broken. The light of Shiva continued to burn underground. When the temple was rebuilt, the Jyotirlinga emerged again. This is why devotees say: Somnath can never truly be destroyed, because it is a form of Shiva's infinite light.

 

FACT: The Mysterious Arrow Pillar - Baan Stambha At the tip of the Somnath temple complex stands an ancient stone pillar called the Baan Stambha. It has an inscription saying that from this point, there is no land between Somnath and the South Pole - only open sea for thousands of kilometers. This was carved centuries ago. Modern science has confirmed it is geographically accurate. The arrow points directly south over open ocean all the way to Antarctica.

 

The Blessing Sloka of Somnath

Sanskrit: सौराष्ट्रदेशे विशदेऽति रम्ये ज्योतिर्मयं चन्द्रकलावतंसम् | भक्तिप्रदानाय कृपावतीर्णं तं सोमनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये || Transliteration: Saurashtra dese vishade ti ramye jyotimayam chandrakalaavatamsam | Bhaktipradanam bhavakhanda namam Sri Somanatham sharanam prapadye || Meaning: In the beautiful land of Saurashtra shines the one who wears the crescent moon, the one who grants devotion and destroys the cycle of birth and death - I take refuge in Lord Somnath.

 

Practical Guide for Senior Pilgrims

Detail	Information
Location	Prabhas Patan, Veraval, Saurashtra, Gujarat
Nearest Railway Station	Veraval (7 km from temple)
Nearest Airport	Diu Airport (60 km) or Rajkot (190 km)
Temple Darshan Hours	6:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Aarti Timings	7:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 7:00 PM
Best Time to Visit	October to March
Wheelchair Access	Yes - available at main temple
Sound and Light Show	Every evening after sunset - Hindi and Gujarati

 

Estimated Cost for a 2-Night Stay (Per Person)

Expense	Approximate Cost
Budget guesthouse near temple	Rs. 600 to Rs. 1,200 per night
Mid-range hotel	Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,000 per night
Auto or taxi from Veraval station	Rs. 150 to Rs. 250 one way
Meals (3 times a day)	Rs. 200 to Rs. 400 per day
Sound and Light Show ticket	Rs. 100 per person
Puja offerings at temple	Rs. 100 to Rs. 500 as per wish

 

Nearby Places to Visit

-       Bhalka Tirth - The place where Lord Krishna's earthly journey ended. Just 4 km from Somnath.

-       Triveni Sangam - Where rivers Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati meet the sea. Inside the temple complex.

-       Gita Mandir - All 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita carved on pillars.

-       Somnath Museum - Ancient sculptures and artifacts from the temple's long history.

 

Somnath has been destroyed. Somnath has been rebuilt. But the light of Shiva at this place has never gone out - and it never will. Come with an open heart. Leave with Shiva's blessings.