Nageshvar

Temple and sacred site (tirtha) about fifteen miles northeast of the holy city of
Dwaraka, in the eastern state of
Gujarat. The temple is named after its
presiding deity, the god Shiva in his
manifestation as the “Lord of Serpents.”
Shiva is present at Nageshvar in the
form of a linga, a pillar-shaped image.
The Nageshvar linga is one of the twelve
jyotirlingas, a network of sites at which
Shiva is uniquely present. Nageshvar’s
charter myth is based on the story of the
demon Daruk and his wife Daruka.
Daruka is a fervent devotee (bhakta) of
Shiva’s wife Parvati; through Parvati’s
grace Daruka gains protection for all the
other demons. The demons use this
power to oppress the righteous. As the
demons are about to kill one of Shiva’s
devotees, Shiva appears and slays them.
Parvati has come along with Shiva to
protect Daruka, her devotee. Daruka
persuades Shiva and Parvati to remain
in Nageshvar as a sign of their grace.
Since the city of Dwaraka is also
connected with the god Krishna, some
scholars believe the Nageshvar linga
may have been promoted to maintain a
Shaivite presence in an important
Vaishnava area.