Sacred Geography associated with Lord Shiva

(A) Mountains:

• कैलास (Kailasha): Kailasha is the mountain-abode of Lord Shiva in the Himalayas.
• श्रीशैल (Srisaila): Srisaila is the place of the sacred Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga where Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati appeared there to see their son Kumara and abided in the form of Jyoti (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 15).
• विन्ध्य (Vindhya): Vindhya mountain is the place of the sacred Omkareshwara Jyotirlinga where Lord Shiva appeared before the Vindhya mountain who was performing penance and granted him the power of becoming higher (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 18).
• केदारनाथ (Kedarnatha): Kedarnatha in the Himalayas is the sacred place of Kedaranatha Jyotirlinga, where Lord Shiva appeared before Nara and Narayana and granted them the boon of abiding there for their worship (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 19).
• ब्रह्मगिरि (Brahmagiri): Brahmagiri mountain is the sacred place of the Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga where Lord Shiva appeared before sage Gautama and relieved him from the false accusation of killing a cow; Lord Shiva also released river Ganga (Gautami Ganga) from his matted hairs (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 24 to 27).
• अरुणाचल (Arunachala): Arunachala mountain is the sacred place where Lord Shiva manifested as the infinite Taijasha Lingam before Brahma and Vishnu, and later changed to Arunachala mountain for the worship of the Devas (Skanda Purana - Arunachala Mahatmya - 1 and 2).
• अमरनाथ (Amaranatha): Amaranatha is the famous cave pilgrimage in the Kashmir Himalayas where Lord Shiva told the Amar Katha to Devi Parvati.

(B) Forests:

• दारुकवन (Darukavana): Darukavana forest is the sacred place of Nageshwara Jyotirlinga where Lord Shiva protected devotee Supriya from the atrocities of demon Daruka; later Lord Shiva abided there as Nageshwara and Devi Parvati as Nageshwari (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 29 to 30).
• Thillaivana: Chidambaram is the ancient Thillaivana where Lord Shiva performed the Ananda Tandava before the devas and sages.

(C) Rivers:

• गङ्गा (Ganga): Lord Shiva held river Ganga on his matted hairs during her descent from the higher loka (and thus came to be known as Gangadhara) (Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda - 35 to 44).
• गोदावरी (Godavari): Lord Shiva released river Ganga (Gautami Ganga or Godavari) from his matted hairs in Brahmagiri mountain when he abided there as Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 24 to 27).
• नर्मदा (Narmada): Omkareshwara Jyotirlinga temple is situated on an island on river Narmada in a place of exquisite natural beauty (Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh).