According to the Kotirudra Samhita of the Shiva Purana, Daksha Prajapati had twenty-seven daughters. All of them were given in marriage to Chandradev, the moon god. These twenty-seven daughters are the same as the twenty-seven nakshatras (lunar asterisms) that move through the night sky. Chandradev loved Rohini among them all. He paid little attention to the other twenty-six.
The neglected wives went to their father Daksha in distress. Daksha reasoned with Chandradev, but it made no difference. In his anger, Daksha pronounced a curse — Chandradev would be afflicted with a wasting disease and his light would slowly dim. The curse took hold, and the moon's brightness began to fade.
The Shiva Purana goes on to say that a grieving Chandradev made his way to Prabhasa Tirtha on the western shore of the sea. There he undertook rigorous tapas (spiritual austerities) and chanted the Mahamrityunjaya mantra. Moved by his devotion, Shiva appeared before him. Shiva gave him partial relief from the curse — which is why, even today, the moon waxes and wanes each month.
According to the legend, Chandradev gratefully installed a Shivalinga at that very spot. Chandradev's other name is Soma. And so the Shiva who resides here came to be called Somnath — Lord of Soma. This is the very first name in the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotra.
Chandradev performed tapas at Prabhasa Tirtha and, with gratitude in his heart, installed a Shivalinga at that very spot.
The Somnath temple stands at India's westernmost edge, right at the Arabian Sea. Among the twelve Jyotirlingas, this is the only one that sits on a seashore. The sound of waves reaches the temple day and night. Devotees travel from far and wide for darshan (sacred viewing of the deity) here.
Close to Somnath is the Triveni Sangam. According to tradition, three rivers — the Hiran, the Kapila, and the Saraswati — converge here before meeting the sea. The Shiva Purana refers to this entire region as the Prabhasa Kshetra. The months of Shravan and Maha Shivaratri draw especially large gatherings of devotees.
- The temple is open throughout the year, and devotees come daily for darshan.
- Three aarti (ritual lamp offerings) are performed each day — morning, noon, and evening.
- The months of Shravan and Maha Shivaratri bring the largest gatherings.
- At dusk, the view of the temple from the shoreline is especially serene.