Mysuru: The Art of Living, a spiritual organisation founded by Sri Ravishankar Guruji, has facilitated the public viewing of what they believe to be the original 1,000 years old Somnath Jyotirlinga at its Ashram in Lalithadripura Road in city from 5 pm to 8 pm tomorrow (May 6).
Announcing this at a press meet at Pathrakarthara Bhavan in city yesterday, Ashram Apex Member R.A. Ravikumar said that the Ashram had already facilitated Jyotirlinga darshan at various places in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Bengaluru. Sri Vishnu Swamiji will be bringing the Jyotirlinga to Mysuru and after allowing for darshan here, it will be taken to other places, he added.
“After facilitating Jyotirlinga darshan across the country, Sri Ravishankar Guruji will install the Jyotirlinga at Somnath Temple in Gujarat for which the date is yet to be finalised,” said Swamiji.
Ashram Apex Member Suresh, Avinash Asaran, Subbushreshti, teachers Roopa and Vidya were present at the press meet.
History: For thousands of years, Somnath Temple in Gujarat has earned the reputation of being the first Jyotirlinga Temple in India. More than a thousand years ago, it was recognised as the most magnificent, divine and richest temple in the world. Here is a surprising, but clear evidence of a Shivalinga floating in the air as recorded in history. It is recorded in the pages of history that the Shivlinga, which was made of a rare stone with magnetic properties, was broken by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026. It is a legend that this temple has been looted and demolished 17 times.
It is said that after Mahmud of Ghazni destroyed the floating Shivalinga, some of the remains were collected by the then Agnihotri Archakas who then came to South India. Then the Agnihotris give Shivalinga form to the remains and start worshipping it.
Following this tradition, the Agnihotris who were the saviours of that time, approached Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Chandrashekara Saraswati Mahaswamiji in 1924 and informed him about the Jyotirlinga.
It is learnt that the Mahaswamiji preserved the Jyotirlinga for another 100 years and later was informed to be handed over to today’s global saint Sri Ravishankar Guruji, after the re-establishment of Ayodhya Ram.
According to the scientists who have examined the Jyotirlinga stone, it must have iron content to have magnetic properties. But it is a wonder of science that even though the rock has only 2% iron content, it has magnetic properties. Such a Divya Darshan Yatra of the historically famous Jyotirlinga is organised all over India.
This post was published on May 5, 2025 6:39 pm