Considered to be the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the Somnath Temple in Gujarat is situated near Veraval in (Prabhas Kshetra) Kathiawad district. This jyotirling in Gujrat is a highly revered pilgrimage site in the country. There is a legend related to how this Jyotirling in Gujarat came into being. According to the Shiva Purana, the moon was married to 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati, out of which he loved Rohini the most. Seeing his negligence towards the other wives, Prajapati cursed the moon that it would lose all its radiance. A disturbed moon along with Rohini came to Somnath and worshipped the Sparsa Lingam after which he was blessed by Shiva to regain his lost beauty and shine. On his request, Lord Shiva assumed the name Somchandra and resided there eternally. He became famous by the name Somnath. Ever since the Somnath Jyotirlinga has been destroyed and rebuilt many times in history.

(Source: Display/Notice Board at Babulnath Temple in Mumbai (Maharashtra)

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