| Temple Name | Parli Vaijnath Temple |
| Temple is also known as | Parli Vaidyanath Temple |
| Temple Dedicated to | Shiva |
| Temple Timing | 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM |
| Aarti | ओम जय शिव ओंकारा, स्वामी जय शिव ओंकारा |
| Important Festivals | Mahashivaratri, Vaikunth Chaturdashi, Tripuri Pournima, Vijayadashami and Chaitra Padva |
| Address | Pathanpura, Peth Mohallah, Parli Vaijnath, Maharashtra 431515 |
| Official Website | https://www.vaijnathjyotirling.com/ |
| Contact Number | 02446-222909 |
| Official Email ID | Not available |
Parli Vaijnath Temple or Parli Vaidyanath Temple is located in Parli, in the state of Maharashtra and belongs to the celebrated list of 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva. The Vaijnath Temple Linga is also popular as Dhanavantari and Amriteshwari. The Linga consists of the Saligram stone and has a very smooth surface.
One of the 5 Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra is the Parli Vaijnath Temple. These are the other four Jyotirlingas:
- Trimbakeshwar, Nashik
- Sri Nageshwar, Aundha
- Sri Grishneshwar, Aurangabad
- Bhimashankar Temple, Pune
The History of Parli Vaijnath Temple
The Parli Vaijnath Temple was built in the 1700s, according to its history. Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, who was Queen of the Maratha Malwa Kingdom at the time, fixed it up. This temple is linked to two very well-known stories. One legend is about the Amrit, and the other is about Ravana, the king of the demons, and his plan to get Shiva for himself.
Legend of the Amrit
The Samudra Manthan was when the Ocean of Milk was stirred, and 14 ratnas, like Vish and Amrit, came out.
When the Gods and Demons fought over the Divine Nectar or Amrit by churning the ocean, fourteen gems came out of the process. Dhanavantari and Amrit were part of it.
Just as the demons were about to grab the Amrit, Lord Vishnu grabbed both Dhanwantri and Amrit and put them inside a Shiva Linga. When the angry demons tried to break the Linga, a bright light came from it when they touched it. The demons were scared by this, so they left the place.
Since this is where the Devas were able to get the Amrit, the village was called Vaijayanthi, and the temple was called Parli Vaijnath.
Legend of Ravana and Shiva Linga
To please Lord Shiva, the demon King Ravana did a lot of penance and even cut off his head. Lord Shiva was moved by his sacrifice and gave him many gifts. Ravana asked Lord Shiva to come to Lanka. The Lord agreed and told Ravana to carry his Shiva Linga. He also told Ravana not to put it down until he got to his destination.
Ravana needed a break during the trip, so he told a shepherd to carry the Linga for a while. The shepherd put the heavy Linga down for a moment, not knowing what the Lord had told him to do. So, the Lord stayed there, and people came to know him as Vaidhyanath.
The significance of Parli Vaijnath Temple
People say that the Parli Vaijnath Jyotirlinga is the last of the Jyotirlingas.
People think that Lord Vishnu put both the Amrit and the Dhanavantari in the Linga, so anyone who touches the Linga can get the power of the Amrit. Hari Hara also gets together at Parli. There are festivals here for both Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva).
During worship, devotees are allowed to touch the Parli Vaijnath Linga, which helps them get better and has other health benefits. In fact, the Abhisheka is done by the devotees themselves, and they use Bilva leaves that they buy outside of the Parli Vaijnath Temple.
This holy Parli Vaijnath Temple is open to people from all walks of life, castes, and religions. There is no discrimination at all. The Puranas say that Lord Vaidhyanath gave the sage Markandeya a blessing that made him immortal.
For the Parli Vaijnath renovation, Rani Ahilyabai brought special stones from the Trishul Devi mountain range. Gwakshas are on a minaret outside of the Parli Vaijnath (windows). When the sun’s rays come in through the windows, they hit the Shiva Linga right on the spot. The priests say special prayers and poojas to the Sun God at this time.
Parli Vaijnath Temple Timing
The doors to the Parli Vaijnath temple open at 5:00 AM and close at 9:00 PM. During this time, the temple also does different ceremonies. Rituals like aarti and Pooja can be done by the devotees.
The Parli Vaijnath Temple is open at the following times:
| Ritual | Temple Timing |
| Darshan | 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM |
| Abhishek | 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM |
| Afternoon Pooja | 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM |
| Bhasma Pooja | 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM |
Festivals Celebrated at Parli Temple
At Parli Vaijnath, some of the festivals are,
- Shravan Maas is the fifth month of the Hindu calendar. It starts at the end of July and lasts until the third week of August. During the Shravan Maas, everyone in the village of Parli chants the Rudra Mantra.
- Mahashivratri is the day when Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married. It usually happens at the end of February or the start of March.
- Vijayadashami, also called Dussehra, is a festival that is held after the nine days of Navratri. It is a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
How to Reach Parli Vaijnath Temple?
- By Air: The airport closest to Parli Vaijnath is in Nanded, which is about 105 km away.
- Train: The station closest to Vaijnath is Parli, which is 2 km away. From Secunderabad, Kakinada, Manmad, Visakhapatnam, and Bangalore, you can take a train that goes straight there.
- By Road: From Aurangabad, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and other nearby cities, you can take a number of buses.
Temples nearby Parli Vaijnath Temple
| Temple | Details |
| Yogeshwari Temple, Ambajogai | The Goddess Yogeshwari, who got married to Parli Vaijnath, lives in the Yogeshwari Temple. According to the Puranas, by the time the wedding party got to Parli, the lucky time had already passed, and everyone turned into stone. The temple of Yogeshwari is 25 km from the town of Ambajogai. |
| Aundha Nagnath Jyotirlinga Temple | The Aundha Nagnath Temple is the first Jyotirlinga. It is in the village of Aundha Nagnath in the state of Maharashtra. From the temple to the Parli Vaidhyanath temple is 118 km. During their time away from home, the temple was built by Yudhishtra, the oldest of the Pandava brothers. It is part of Maharashtra’s famous 5 Jyotirlinga tour. |
| Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple | The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple is close to Pune. Parli Vaijnath is 387 km away. One of the five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra, this Linga came into being on its own. |
| Grisheshwar Jyotirlinga Temple | Temple is in Verul, which is in Maharashtra’s Beed District. This temple is the last of the Jyotirlingas. People who go on the Jyotirlingas pilgrimage finish their journey by going to this temple. The temple of Grishneshwar is 246 km away from Parli. |
| Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple | The Trimbakeshwar Temple is located in the town of Trimbak in the Nashik District of Maharashtra. The temple is 397 kilometres from Vaijnath Temple. The three faces of the Linga represent Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. |
Quick FAQ – Parli Vaidyanath Temple
Why is Parli Vaijnath famous?
Shiva worshippers go to Parli Vaijnath as a pilgrimage site, and Hari Hara meets there. The festivals of Lord Krishna are also celebrated with a lot of joy, just like the festivals of Lord Shankara.
Who built Parli Vaijnath?
In the 1700s, Rani Ahilyabhai fixed up the Parli Vaijnath Temple, according to the History of Parli Vaijnath Temple. This temple is linked to two very well-known stories. One of the legends is about the Amrit, and the other is about the demon King Ravana and his quest to own Shiva.
How to reach Parli Vaijnath Temple from Pune?
From Pune, a bus ride will take at least 6h 30m. The bus to Parli is the cheapest way to get from Pune to Parli Vaijnath, and it takes 6 hours and 30 minutes.