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.
त्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनेत्रं च त्रियायुधम् ।
त्रिजन्म पापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
त्रिशाखैः बिल्वपत्रैश्च अच्छिद्रैः कोमलैः शुभैः ।
तवपूजां करिष्यामि एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
कोटि कन्या महादानं तिलपर्वत कोटयः ।
कांचनं शैलदानेन एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
काशीक्षेत्र निवासं च कालभैरव दर्शनम् ।
प्रयागे माधवं दृष्ट्वा एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
इंदुवारे व्रतं स्थित्वा निराहारो महेश्वराः ।
नक्तं हौष्यामि देवेश एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
रामलिंग प्रतिष्ठा च वैवाहिक कृतं तथा ।
तटाकानिच संधानं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
अखंड बिल्वपत्रं च आयुतं शिवपूजनम् ।
कृतं नाम सहस्रेण एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
उमया सहदेवेश नंदि वाहनमेव च ।
भस्मलेपन सर्वांगं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
सालग्रामेषु विप्राणां तटाकं दशकूपयोः ।
यज्ञ्नकोटि सहस्रस्य एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
दंति कोटि सहस्रेषु अश्वमेधशतक्रतौ च ।
कोटिकन्या महादानं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
बिल्वाणां दर्शनं पुण्यं स्पर्शनं पापनाशनम् ।
अघोर पापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
सहस्रवेद पाटेषु ब्रह्मस्तापनमुच्यते ।
अनेकव्रत कोटीनां एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
अन्नदान सहस्रेषु सहस्रोपनयनं तधा ।
अनेक जन्मपापानि एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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.
बिल्वाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेश्शिव सन्निधौ ।
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
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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विकल्प संकर्पण
त्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनेत्रं च त्रियायुधम् ।
त्रिजन्म पापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 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.
त्रिशाखैः बिल्वपत्रैश्च अच्छिद्रैः कोमलैः शुभैः ।
तवपूजां करिष्यामि एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 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.
दर्शनं बिल्ववृक्षस्य स्पर्शनं पापनाशनम् ।
अघोरपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 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.
सालग्रामेषु विप्रेषु तटाके वनकूपयोः ।
यज्ञ्नकोटि सहस्राणां एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 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.
दंतिकोटि सहस्रेषु अश्वमेध शतानि च ।
कोटिकन्याप्रदानेन एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 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.
एकं च बिल्वपत्रैश्च कोटियज्ञ्न फलं लभेत् ।
महादेवैश्च पूजार्थं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 6 ॥
By performing countelss Yagnas
One acquires great virtue
Such virtue can be earned by
Offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
काशीक्षेत्रे निवासं च कालभैरव दर्शनम् ।
गयाप्रयाग मे दृष्ट्वा एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 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.
उमया सह देवेशं वाहनं नंदिशंकरम् ।
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो एकबिल्वं शिवार्पितम् ॥ 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.
इति श्री बिल्वाष्टकम् ॥
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