During Sankaras' Kailasa Yatra when He had darshan of Lord Paramesvara and Devi Parvati they blessed Sankara, presented him with five sphatika (crystal) lingas and instructed him to arrange for the worship of the lingas for the sake of the welfare of the universe, indicating also the mode of worship. Sankaracharya placed
- Mukti Linga in the temple at Kedarnath,
- Vara Linga at Neelakanta Kshetra in Nepal.
- Bhoga Linga for being worshipped at the Sarada Peetha in Karnataka
- Moksha Linga to Chidambaram for being worshipped In the temple of Sri Nataraja
- Yoga Linga for his own personal worship and for his successors at Kanchi.
References to the places where the five-sphatika lingas were established for worship are found in Anantanandagiri's biography and in Markandeya Samhita.
- Thiru Ketharnath - Mukthilingam (it gives a unbirth status)
- Chidhambaram (Thillai) - Mokshalingam (it gives a heaven)
- Kanchipuram - Yogalingam (it gives a peace)
- Nepal - Varalingam (it gives a fulfillnes)
- Sringeri - Bogalingam (it gives a happy)
