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.
த்ரிதள³ம் த்ரிகு³ணாகாரம் த்ரினேத்ரம் ச த்ரியாயுத⁴ம் ।
த்ரிஜன்ம பாபஸம்ஹாரம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
த்ரிஶாகை²: பி³ல்வபத்ரைஶ்ச அச்சி²த்³ரை: கோமலை: ஶுபை⁴: ।
தவபூஜாம் கரிஷ்யாமி ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
கோடி கன்யா மஹாதா³னம் திலபர்வத கோடய: ।
காஞ்சனம் ஶைலதா³னேன ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
காஶீக்ஷேத்ர நிவாஸம் ச காலபை⁴ரவ த³ர்ஶனம் ।
ப்ரயாகே³ மாத⁴வம் த்³ருஷ்ட்வா ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
இந்து³வாரே வ்ரதம் ஸ்தி²த்வா நிராஹாரோ மஹேஶ்வரா: ।
நக்தம் ஹௌஷ்யாமி தே³வேஶ ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
ராமலிங்க³ ப்ரதிஷ்டா² ச வைவாஹிக க்ருதம் ததா² ।
தடாகானிச ஸந்தா⁴னம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
அக²ண்ட³ பி³ல்வபத்ரம் ச ஆயுதம் ஶிவபூஜனம் ।
க்ருதம் நாம ஸஹஸ்ரேண ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
உமயா ஸஹதே³வேஶ நந்தி³ வாஹனமேவ ச ।
ப⁴ஸ்மலேபன ஸர்வாங்க³ம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
ஸாலக்³ராமேஷு விப்ராணாம் தடாகம் த³ஶகூபயோ: ।
யஜ்ஞ்னகோடி ஸஹஸ்ரஸ்ய ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
த³ந்தி கோடி ஸஹஸ்ரேஷு அஶ்வமேத⁴ஶதக்ரதௌ ச ।
கோடிகன்யா மஹாதா³னம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
பி³ல்வாணாம் த³ர்ஶனம் புண்யம் ஸ்பர்ஶனம் பாபனாஶனம் ।
அகோ⁴ர பாபஸம்ஹாரம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
ஸஹஸ்ரவேத³ பாடேஷு ப்³ரஹ்மஸ்தாபனமுச்யதே ।
அனேகவ்ரத கோடீனாம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
அன்னதா³ன ஸஹஸ்ரேஷு ஸஹஸ்ரோபனயனம் ததா⁴ ।
அனேக ஜன்மபாபானி ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
பி³ல்வாஷ்டகமித³ம் புண்யம் ய: படே²ஶ்ஶிவ ஸன்னிதௌ⁴ ।
ஶிவலோகமவாப்னோதி ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பணம் ॥
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.
----------------
விகல்ப ஸங்கர்பண
த்ரிதள³ம் த்ரிகு³ணாகாரம் த்ரினேத்ரம் ச த்ரியாயுத⁴ம் ।
த்ரிஜன்ம பாபஸம்ஹாரம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 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.
த்ரிஶாகை²: பி³ல்வபத்ரைஶ்ச அச்சி²த்³ரை: கோமலை: ஶுபை⁴: ।
தவபூஜாம் கரிஷ்யாமி ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 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.
த³ர்ஶனம் பி³ல்வவ்ருக்ஷஸ்ய ஸ்பர்ஶனம் பாபனாஶனம் ।
அகோ⁴ரபாபஸம்ஹாரம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 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.
ஸாலக்³ராமேஷு விப்ரேஷு தடாகே வனகூபயோ: ।
யஜ்ஞ்னகோடி ஸஹஸ்ராணாம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 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.
த³ந்திகோடி ஸஹஸ்ரேஷு அஶ்வமேத⁴ ஶதானி ச ।
கோடிகன்யாப்ரதா³னேன ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 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.
ஏகம் ச பி³ல்வபத்ரைஶ்ச கோடியஜ்ஞ்ன ப²லம் லபே⁴த் ।
மஹாதே³வைஶ்ச பூஜார்த²ம் ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 6 ॥
By performing countelss Yagnas
One acquires great virtue
Such virtue can be earned by
Offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
காஶீக்ஷேத்ரே நிவாஸம் ச காலபை⁴ரவ த³ர்ஶனம் ।
க³யாப்ரயாக³ மே த்³ருஷ்ட்வா ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 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.
உமயா ஸஹ தே³வேஶம் வாஹனம் நந்தி³ஶங்கரம் ।
முச்யதே ஸர்வபாபேப்⁴யோ ஏகபி³ல்வம் ஶிவார்பிதம் ॥ 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.
இதி ஶ்ரீ பி³ல்வாஷ்டகம் ॥
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