|| Sri Triymbakeshwar Mahadev Jyotirlinga ||

|| Sri Triymbakeshwar Mahadev Jyotirlinga ||

 This Jyotirlinga is located 30 km west of Nashik in Maharashtra province. This story is described in Shivpuran about the establishment of this Jyotirlinga.

Once the wives of Brahmins living in Maharishi Gautama's Tapovan got angry with his wife Ahilya on something. They inspired her husbands to do damnifying work for sage Gautama. Those Brahmins worshiped Lord Shree Ganeshji for this.

Pleased with his worship , Ganesha appeared and asked him for the boon, those Brahmins said - 'Prabhu! If you are happy with us, then somehow get Rishi Gautama out of this ashram. ' On hearing this, Ganeshji exhored him to don't ask for such a boon. But they remained firm on his request.

Eventually, Ganeshji was forced to accept his word. To keep the mind of his devotees, he took the form of a weak cow and started living in the field of sage Gautama. Seeing the cow grazing the crop, the sage took a straw in his hand with great softness and grabbed it to remove from field . As soon as those straws were touched, that cow fell there itself. Now there was a big cry.

All Brahmins gathered and called Sage Gautam, and started to condemn Rishi Gautama. Rishi Gautam was very surprised and saddened by this incident. Now all those Brahmins said that you should leave this ashram and go somewhere else. Staying close to the cow-killer will also cause us sin. Being compelled, the sage Gautama started living with his wife Ahilya a curse away from there. But those Brahmins made their stay there too difficult. They started saying - 'Now you have no right to do the work of Vedas and Yajna etc. due to cow slaughter. Sage Gautama prayed to those Brahmins with utmost persuasion that you should give me any remedy for my atonement and salvation.

Then he said- 'Gautam! You can revolve the whole earth thrice by telling your sins everywhere to everyone. Then return and fast here for a month. After this, after doing 101 circumambulation of 'Brahmagiri' you will be purified or bring Gangaji here and bathe with water and worship Shiva with one crore earthly Shivalingas. After this, bathe in Gangaji again and revolve this Brahmagari 11 times. Then bathing the earthly Shivalingas with the holy water of hundred pots will save you.

According to the Brahmins' statement, Maharishi Gautama completed all those tasks and became fully meditated with his wife and started worshiping Lord Shiva. Pleased with this, Lord Shiva appeared and asked him to ask for the boon . Maharishi Gautam said to him- 'Lord, I want you to free me from the sin of cow slaughter.' Lord Shiva said- 'Gautam! You are completely sinless. The crime of cow slaughtering was fraudulently imposed on you. I want to punish the Brahmins of your ashram who have done this fraudulently. '

On this Maharishi Gautam said that Lord! I have received your darshan for his sake only. Now consider them as my supreme interest and do not be angry with them. Many sages, saints and deities gathered there, approving Gautama's talk and prayed to Lord Shiva to stay there forever. They obeyed him and located there in the name of Trimbakam Jyotirlinga. Gangaji brought by Gautam ji also started to flow near there under the name Godavari. This Jyotirlinga is supposed to provide all the merits.