Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga – A Unique Combination of Shakti Peeth and Jyotirlinga

Mallikarjuna is the second Jyotirlinga among the twelve and holds significant importance. Situated in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, atop the Shri Shaila Mountain, Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Mallikarjuna. Some devotees refer to it as the Southern Kailash, believing that a darshan here grants the same merit as performing the Ashvamedha Yagya. Adding to its uniqueness, Goddess Parvati is also present here as Bharmarambika.

The Story of Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga

The Shiv Puran narrates the tale of Mallikarjuna, which involves Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha. When both brothers reached marriageable age, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati called them and declared, “Whoever circles the world first will be married first.” As soon as Lord Shiva finished his statement, Kartikeya hopped on his peacock and took off. Ganesha, riding his mouse, paused for a moment before choosing to circle around his parents instead.

He told Shiva and Parvati, “You both mean everything to me.” Delighted by Ganesha’s devotion, Shiva and Parvati decided to arrange his marriage. When Kartikeya returned and discovered that Ganesha was already married, he felt a surge of anger, believing he had been wronged. In his fury, he journeyed to the Shri Shaila Mountain in the south. Despite Shiva and Parvati’s attempts to comfort him, Kartikeya refused to listen. In response, both Shiva and Parvati took on their divine forms and established themselves there. On Amavasya (new moon day), Lord Shiva is said to reside there, while on Purnima (full moon day), Goddess Parvati is present. Thus, this Jyotirlinga became known as Mallikarjuna, where Mallika represents Parvati, and Arjuna symbolizes Shiva.

Bharmarambika Also Exists in MallikarjunaJyotirlinga

This is the only Jyotirlinga that also have Shakti Peeth. It is believed that the neck of Goddess Sati fell at this location. Since then, Goddess Bharmarambika has made her home here. The tale of Bharmarambika’s incarnation goes like this: There was a demon named Arunasure who had received a boon from Lord Brahma, making him invulnerable to any two-legged or four-legged creature. In response, the gods prayed to Goddess Durga to vanquish the demon. In answer to their prayers, Goddess Durga took the form of a six-legged bumblebee and defeated Arunasure. Afterward, she returned to the Shaila Mountain and remained there as Bharmarambika. Mallikarjuna is the first Jyotirlinga where both the Jyotirlinga and the Shakti Peeth are found within the same complex.

How to Please Mallikarjuna

To please Lord Mallikarjuna, one can perform worship using the Rudrabhishekam mantras regularly. It is important to worship both Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati together, as this is the unique location where they are both present. Chanting the Shiva Panchakshara Stotra here is regarded as very auspicious. Furthermore, reciting any mantra dedicated to Goddess Parvati can also help in pleasing Shri Mallikarjuna.