Composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the famous Bilvashtakam extols the virtues of the Bilva leaf (also spelt Vilva, Bilwa) and Lord Shiva’s love for it. Shri Shiva Bilvashtakam is a very powerful chant that describes the power and glory of offering bilva leaves to Lord Shiva. They are to be offered in a group of three leaves and are said to have features that identify them with Lord Shiva himself. The Bilva leaf is trifoliate which signifies the holy Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. It also signifies the three eyes of Shiva. According to Shiva Purana, The Bilwa is the symbol of Lord Shiva. It is adored even by the Gods. it is difficult to understand its greatness. Blessed are the ones who offer the Bilva. One Bilva is equal to a thousand lotus, says the Siva Purana. According to the Skanda Purana, the Bilwa (Bel) tree grew from the sweat droplets of Parvati which fell on the Mandrachal mountain. From there the Bel tree emerged. Hence, it is believed that the Goddess resides in this tree in all Her forms. She resides as Girija in the roots of the tree, as Maheshwari in its trunk, as Dakshayani in its branches, Parvati in its leaves, Katyayani in its fruit and as Gauri in its flowers. Therefore as Parvati resides in Her various forms in this tree, Shiva is extremely fond of its leaves.
ত্রিদলং ত্রিগুণাকারং ত্রিনেত্রং চ ত্রিযাযুধম্ ।
ত্রিজন্ম পাপসংহারং একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva
Which has three leaves (a Bilva leaf has 3 leaves as a cluster)
Which represents the three Gunas (Satva, Rajas, Tamas)
And represents three eyes of Shiva
Which is like the triad of weapons he bears
And whose very thought or uttering of names destroys one’s accumulated sins.
ত্রিশাখৈঃ বিল্বপত্রৈশ্চ অচ্ছিদ্রৈঃ কোমলৈঃ শুভৈঃ ।
তবপূজাং করিষ্যামি একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva
Which has three shoots
Which are not defective in any manner
Which are soft and tender
Which are auspicious.
কোটি কন্যা মহাদানং তিলপর্বত কোটযঃ ।
কাংচনং শৈলদানেন একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
Gifting of millions of daughters in marriage or
Offering mountains of Sesame seeds or
Donating a mountain of Gold,
Such virtue can be earned by the
Offering of a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
কাশীক্ষেত্র নিবাসং চ কালভৈরব দর্শনম্ ।
প্রযাগে মাধবং দৃষ্ট্বা একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
If one stays at the holy city of Kasi, and then
Has darsan of the Lord Kalabhairava there
Visits Prayag and has darsan of Lord Madhava there
And also offers worship to Lord Shiva with the Bilva leaf
He is assured of the Lord’s grace.
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
ইংদুবারে ব্রতং স্থিত্বা নিরাহারো মহেশ্বরাঃ ।
নক্তং হৌষ্যামি দেবেশ একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
On Monday, I shall observe a spiritual fast and worship you
I shall consume food only at night O Lord of Lords
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
রামলিংগ প্রতিষ্ঠা চ বৈবাহিক কৃতং তথা ।
তটাকানিচ সংধানং একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
The divine bliss attained by Lord Rama by installing a Shiva Linga
Such divine bliss can be attained by offering
A single leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
অখংড বিল্বপত্রং চ আযুতং শিবপূজনম্ ।
কৃতং নাম সহস্রেণ একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
Lord Shiva should be worshipped with a whole (unblemished) Bilva leaf.
Having chanted his name a thousand times
I offer a Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
উমযা সহদেবেশ নংদি বাহনমেব চ ।
ভস্মলেপন সর্বাংগং একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
O Lord, you are seated besides Parvati
Nandi is your mount
Your entire body is smeared with ash
O Lord Shiva, I offer a Bilva leaf to you.
সালগ্রামেষু বিপ্রাণাং তটাকং দশকূপযোঃ ।
যজ্ঞ্নকোটি সহস্রস্য একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
By offering the Shaligrama stone to a Brahmin who has realised the Self
Or by performing countelss Yagnas
One acquires great virtue
Such virtue can be earned by
Offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
দংতি কোটি সহস্রেষু অশ্বমেধশতক্রতৌ চ ।
কোটিকন্যা মহাদানং একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
The virtue earned by donating a thousand elephants
Or by performing a hundred Aswamedha sacrifices
Or by giving away in a marriage a countless daughters
Such virtue can be earned by offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
বিল্বাণাং দর্শনং পুণ্যং স্পর্শনং পাপনাশনম্ ।
অঘোর পাপসংহারং একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
Even having a look at the Bilva tree or
Even just touching it
Destroys the most horrible sins one might have committed.
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
সহস্রবেদ পাটেষু ব্রহ্মস্তাপনমুচ্যতে ।
অনেকব্রত কোটীনাং একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
Chanting the vedas a thousand times
Is said to elevate one to a great spiritual height
And so with performing spiritual fasts crores of times
Equal to all of these is
Offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
অন্নদান সহস্রেষু সহস্রোপনযনং তধা ।
অনেক জন্মপাপানি একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
The virtue earned by donating food to thousands
Or by performing a thouand thread ceremonies
Such virtue is attained
By offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva
Which washes away the sins of many lives.
বিল্বাষ্টকমিদং পুণ্যং যঃ পঠেশ্শিব সন্নিধৌ ।
শিবলোকমবাপ্নোতি একবিল্বং শিবার্পণম্ ॥
Whoever reads these sacred verses of Bilvashtakam
In the proximity (presence) of Lord Shiva
Will be freed of all sins
And will attain the abode of Lord Shiva.
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বিকল্প সংকর্পণ
ত্রিদলং ত্রিগুণাকারং ত্রিনেত্রং চ ত্রিযাযুধম্ ।
ত্রিজন্ম পাপসংহারং একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 1 ॥
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva
Which has three leaves (a Bilva leaf has 3 leaves as a cluster)
Which represents the three Gunas (Satva, Rajas, Tamas)
And represents three eyes of Shiva
Which is like the triad of weapons he bears
And whose very thought or uttering of names destroys one’s accumulated sins.
ত্রিশাখৈঃ বিল্বপত্রৈশ্চ অচ্ছিদ্রৈঃ কোমলৈঃ শুভৈঃ ।
তবপূজাং করিষ্যামি একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 2 ॥
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva
Which has three shoots
Which are not defective in any manner
Which are soft and tender
Which are auspicious.
দর্শনং বিল্ববৃক্ষস্য স্পর্শনং পাপনাশনম্ ।
অঘোরপাপসংহারং একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 3 ॥
Even having a look at the Bilva tree or
Even just touching it
Destroys the most horrible sins one might have committed.
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
সালগ্রামেষু বিপ্রেষু তটাকে বনকূপযোঃ ।
যজ্ঞ্নকোটি সহস্রাণাং একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 4 ॥
By offering the Shaligrama stone to a Brahmin who has realised the Self
Or by performing countelss Yagnas
One acquires great virtue
Such virtue can be earned by
Offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
দংতিকোটি সহস্রেষু অশ্বমেধ শতানি চ ।
কোটিকন্যাপ্রদানেন একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 5 ॥
Gifting of thousands of crores of elephants, or
Performing hundreds of great sacrifices like the Vajapeya (sacrifices made by kings) or
Gifting of millions of daughters in marriage
Cannot be compared with the offering of a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
একং চ বিল্বপত্রৈশ্চ কোটিযজ্ঞ্ন ফলং লভেত্ ।
মহাদেবৈশ্চ পূজার্থং একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 6 ॥
By performing countelss Yagnas
One acquires great virtue
Such virtue can be earned by
Offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
কাশীক্ষেত্রে নিবাসং চ কালভৈরব দর্শনম্ ।
গযাপ্রযাগ মে দৃষ্ট্বা একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 7 ॥
If one stays at the holy city of Kasi, and then
Has darsan of the Lord Kalabhairava there
Visits Prayag and has darsan of Lord Madhava there
And also offers worship to Lord Shiva with the Bilva leaf
He is assured of the Lord’s grace.
I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
উমযা সহ দেবেশং বাহনং নংদিশংকরম্ ।
মুচ্যতে সর্বপাপেভ্যো একবিল্বং শিবার্পিতম্ ॥ 8 ॥
O Lord, you are seated besides Parvati
Nandi is your mount
Your entire body is smeared with ash
O Lord Shiva, I offer a Bilva leaf to you.
ইতি শ্রী বিল্বাষ্টকম্ ॥
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