Trimbakeshwar is one among the 12 Jyotirlinga Temples in India . The 12 shrines
are dedicated to Shiva. Story of Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is associated
with Sage Gautama.
Legend has it that Gautama Rishi, one of the Sapta Rishis,
was living with his wife Ahalya on the Brahmagiri Mountain
Rishi Gautama then propitiated Varuna, who blessed him with
pit with an unlimited supply of water at Trimbakeshwar.
With the water, Gautama Rishi was able to grow grains and
vegetables. He thus fed other sages and people of the region. The people of the
entire region considered the Sage to be the holiest. This resulted in jealousy
and some Rishis of a neighboring region decided to disgrace the Sage.
One day they set loose a cow in field of the Sage. The Sage
tried to drive away the cow using holy Dharba grass. The cow suddenly died and
the Rishis from the neighboring region accused Sage Gautama of killing the cow.
To get rid of the accusation and sin of killing a cow, Sage
Gautama performed intense austerities to please Shiva. After several years,
Shiva appeared before Sage Gautama and said that he will release Ganga in his field and he can bathe in the river to get
rid of the sin.
Shiva thus released Ganga
at Trimbakeshwar. Gautama Rishi stopped Ganga
at Kushavarta Tirtha and took a dip in it. Thus he was relieved of the sin of
killing the cow. It is from this Tirtha that Godavari River
Shiva was pleased with the penance of Rishi Gautama
and gave him the boon that he will reside at Trimbakeshwar as a Jyotirlinga.