Grishneshwar Temple is the abode of one of the 12 Jyotirling. The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga shrine is located at Verul, 20 km from Daulatabad in Maharashtra. Located close to Daulatabad (once known as Devagiri) is the popular tourist attractions Ajanta – Ellora caves.
The Grishneswar Temple was constructed by Ahilyabhai Holkar who also re-constructed the Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi which is another of the 12 jyotirlingam. The Grishneshwar Temple is also known by several other names like Kusumeswar and Grushmeswar temples.
According to the Shiva Purana, on a mountain named Devagiri, a Brahmin called Brahmavetta Sudharma lived along with his wife Sudeha. The couple did not have a child which upset Sudeha greatly. Sudeha prayed and tried all possible remedies but it was of no use. In the end, out of frustration, Sudeha married her sister Ghushma to her husband. On Sudeha’s saying, Ghushma used to regularly discharge 101 shiv linga in the nearby lake.
With the blessings of Lord Shiva, Ghushma gave birth to a baby boy. This made Sudeha jealous of her sister. Out of jealousy, one night she killed Ghushma’s son and threw his body in the lake.
Next morning, Ghushmas and Sudharma got involved in their daily prayers and didn’t notice anything amiss. Sudeha too, got up and started performing her daily chores. Ghusma’s daughter-in-law however saw her husband’s bed covered in blood. Horrified, she told Ghushma and Sudharma about everything. Such was Sudharma’s and Ghushma’s devotion to the Lord that they did not deter even for a second and kept calm. Ghushma said that the Lord had blessed her with her son and he would protect him. She even went down to the lake and saw her son walking towards her. Even then she did not express any emotion. At that time Lord Shiv appeared before her and told her that Sudeha had killed her son. Even then, Ghushma asked the Lord to forgive Sudeha and emancipate her. Impressed by her devotion and generosity, Lord Shiva granted her another boon. Ghushma wished that the Lord should reside in the village in the form of a jyotirlinga in order to protect the people and that he should be known by her name.
Forgiveness & Peace: Since Ghushma forgave her sister completely, prayers here help release anger and grudges
Family Harmony: The story involves family relationships, making it powerful for resolving family conflicts.
Child Blessings: Following Ghushma's story, childless couples pray here for children
Devotion Rewards: Pure devotion is rewarded regardless of circumstances
What makes Grishneshwar special is its teaching - that devotion combined with forgiveness creates the most powerful spiritual energy. The temple radiates peace and compassion. Many spiritual seekers who wear sacred items like authentic Rudraksha malas and silver Shiva jewellery visit Grishneshwar to deepen their practice of forgiveness and compassion.