Shri Tryambakeshwar

This is the tenth of the twelve Jyotirlignas. It is located on the banks of river Godavari, also known as Gautami, at Tryambakeshwar near Nashik in state of Maharashtra. The Linga has unique shape which resembles the bottom part of a founding stone (Ukhal) with a hollow portion in the middle. Inside this hole, there are three lingas having shape of the thumb, hence the linga is known as Tryambakeshwar. There is a constant water flow from an orifice (hole) located above the ShivaLinga. The place attracts thousands of people as darshan of this linga helps satisfy their material desire and find spiritual solace. Every twelve years, when the planet Jupiter comes in the zodiac sign of Leo, Kumbha Mela is held throughout the period when Jupiter is transiting through Leo.

Legends

Sage Gautama and his wife Ahilya were doing penance in Dakshina mountains. Once there was a long spell of drought in that region. They pleased Lord Varuna (Rain God) by their severe penance. They got a boon from him, which blessed them with constant flow of abundant water at their place resulting in abundant growth of grains in their ashram. This abundance of grain and water in the ashram of Gautam rishi caused jealousy in the minds of co-sages and their wives. They created a cow by their Maya (magic) which started destroying the grains. When Gautam rishi threw a small twig at thin cow to drive it away, the cow fell dead. The other sages accused Gautam rishi of go-hatya and banished him to a lonely place on the mountain named Bramhagiri.

Gautam rishi did severe penance at this place and worshiped Lord Shiva with ParthivaLinga. Lord Shiva was pleased by the penance and bestowed two boons. One was to create ganga in the form of Gautami and the other was to manifest as a JyotirLanga at Tryambakeshwar. According to another legend, Lord Bramha gave a curse to Lord Shiva during the manifestation of the first JyotirLinga of Ardra Nakshatra that Tryambakeshwar Linga should be pushed under the ground. Hence this linga is small in size in a depression on the floor with water flowing constantly on it from the top.

There is a teertha known as varaha-teertha where Lord Vishnu had a bath in river Gautami during Varaha-Avatar. The spring at Bramhagiri from where Godavari emerges is known as Ganga-Dwar. After emerging at this place Godavari almost disappears and re-appears at Tahalhati. 

When Gautami Ganga, that was received as boon, started flowing, due to its flow Sage Gautam could not take a bath in it and so he threw Darbha (Kusha) in the way of Ganga to stop her. The place is known as Kushavarta-teertha. 

On the parikrama path there are number of holy teerthas namely Ram teertha, Prayag teertha, Narasimha teertha etc. 

According to puranas, people can absolve of sarpa-dosha by performing Narayan-Naag bali and Pitru Dosha by performing Tri-Pindi Shraddha at Tryambakeshwar.

Shri Rameshwar

It is the ninth Jyotirlinga out of the twelve Jyotirlingas. It is located on the southern tip of India in Ramnad district of Tamilnadu. It is considered that the Char Dhaam yatra is complete only when the water from Ganga is carried to Rameshwar and offered to Lord Shiva. Then a little sand is taken from Rameshwar and immersed back in Ganga.

Rameshwar is depicted as important holy place in Skanda Purana and Shiva purana. After the victory over Ravana, Lord Rama decided to install a Shivalinga in gratitude and dutiful homage to Lord Shiva. He sent Hanuman to bring a facsimile of Kasi Vishveswara linga after due prayer at Varanasi. Hanuman could not return to Rameshwar before the auspicious time (muhurtha). Hence Sita devi created linga swarupa out of seashore sand. It was formally consecrated amid chanting of veda mantras. After returning from Kasi, Hanuman was not happy to see that Shiva Linga was already installed. Lord Rama told Hanuman that already installed Shiva Linga can be removed to install Shiva Linga brought by Hanuman. Hanuman tried with all his power to uproot Shiva linga already installed with no success. He realized the importance of Shiva Linga created by Sita. However, Lord Rama instructed to install Shiva Linga brought by Hanuman by the side of Shiva Linga created by Sita. He also instructed that one should first take darshan of Vishwalinga (linga brought by Hanuman) before taking darshan of Ramalinga (linga created by Sita). This custom is followed till date.

According to another legend, searching for Sita, Lord Rama reached Rameshwar. When he was about to drink water, he remembered that he had not performed Shiva pooja. Rama prayed to Lord Shiva who appeared before him. Shiva granted the wish of Rama and stayed as Rameshwar linga.

There are 24 odd holy water springs around here known as Rama tirtha, Seeta tirtha, Kapi teertha, Brahmakunda, and so on…

It is customary to take bath in these wells before going for darshana of Jyotirlinga in Rameshwar. It is believed that pitrukarma performed on the shores of Rameshwar relieves the pitrus from their Karma and help them attain the Moksha.