What happens when a powerful demon threatens devotees who refuse to abandon their faith? According to the traditional account of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, the answer came from Lord Shiva himself. In ancient Ujjain, known as Avanti or Avantika, four devoted brothers continued worshipping Shiva even when the demon Dushana arrived with a huge army. Then, at the moment their lives were in danger, something extraordinary happened. A powerful form of Shiva emerged from the earth and declared himself Mahakal, the Lord of Time. The event is traditionally regarded as the divine origin of Mahakaleshwar’s sacred presence in Ujjain.
