Jyotirlinga
Sthalams
Kusumeswara
This Jyotir
Lingam exists at Devagiri near Ellora. The Lord is known by several
names - Kusumeswarar, Ghushmeswara, Grushmeswara, Grishneswara.
There
once lived a pious brahmin & his wife. He was a great devotee
of Siva. He was not blessed with a son. At the persuasion of
his family, he got married to Kusuma, in order to give him a son.
Kusuma was an even greater devotee of Lord Siva. Everyday she would
make one Siva Linga, worship it and then immerse it in the temple tank.
Soon she was blessed with boy baby. The first wife was seething with
jealousy & ill treated Kusuma. Putting all her faith in the Lord,
Kusuma bore all the sufferings humbly. When the boy grew older, they
planned his wedding. The jealous first wife, killed the boy with
an axe.
Kusuma was deeply
grieved, yet did not stop her daily worship of Lord Siva. She continued
to make the Lingam, worshipped & immersed it in the tank. To
the surprise of one and all, her son rose out of the water one day, coming
back to life.
Lord Siva apperaed
before them & blessed them. He declared that he would give darshan
to devotees in his Jyotir Linga swarupam at the same spot where Kusuma
immersed the Lingams.
This Jyotir
Lingam is considered to exist in two places, one at Devagiri near Ellora
& the other at the Kailasa temple at Ellora.
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