The Story Of Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga

Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga is situated at Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh.

Mallikarjuna consists of two words Mallika means Goddess Parvati and Arjuna means Lord Shiva. It has a special importance because it is the only Jyotirlinga where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati both reside.

Once Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati thought of marrying their two sons Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha. But they couldn’t decide whom should they  marry first. So Lord Shiva came up with a proposal, that whoever comes first after taking a circumambulation around the world seven times would be married first.

Kartikeya rode over his peacock and went around the world seven times. Meanwhile, Lord Ganesha took circumambulation around his parents seven times because they were the world for him.

As he came first, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got him married first to Riddhi and Siddhi. When Kartikeya came to know this, he got angry and left for the Krouncha mountain, Srisailam. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati also went there, but Kartikeya changed the place. He adapted a new name Kumarabh Ramachari.

Lord Shiva visits Krauncha mountain on the Poornima day and Goddess Parvati visits it on Amavasya day.