Bilvashtakam
verse 1
त्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनेत्रं च त्रियायुधम्
Tridalaṃ triguṇākāraṃ trinetraṃ ca triyāyudham
त्रिजन्मपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Trijanmapāpasaṃhāraṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
Three-lobed, shaped like the three gunas, like the three eyes and like the three-pointed weapon,
destroyer of the sins of three births: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 2
त्रिशाखैः बिल्वपत्रैश्च ह्यच्छिद्रैः कोमलैः शुभैः
Triśākhaiḥ bilvapatraiśca hyacchidraiḥ komalaiḥ śubhaiḥ
शिवपूजां करिष्यामि ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Śivapūjāṃ kariṣyāmi hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
With bilva leaves of three lobes, unpierced, tender and auspicious,
I shall perform the worship of Shiva: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 3
अखण्ड बिल्व पत्रेण पूजिते नन्दिकेश्वरे
Akhaṇḍa bilva patreṇa pūjite nandikeśvare
शुद्ध्यन्ति सर्वपापेभ्यो ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Śuddhyanti sarvapāpebhyo hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
When Nandikeshvara is worshipped with an unbroken bilva leaf,
one is cleansed of all sins: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 4
शालिग्राम शिलामेकां विप्राणां जातु चार्पयेत्
Śāligrāma śilāmekāṃ viprāṇāṃ jātu cārpayet
सोमयज्ञ महापुण्यं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Somayajña mahāpuṇyaṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
Whoever offers a single shaligrama stone to brahmins,
and whoever gains the great merit of the Soma sacrifice: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 5
दन्तिकोटि सहस्राणि वाजपेय शतानि च
Dantikoṭi sahasrāṇi vājapeya śatāni ca
कोटिकन्या महादानं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Koṭikanyā mahādānaṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
Thousands of crores of elephants given in charity, and a hundred Vajapeya sacrifices,
and the great gift of a crore of maidens in marriage: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 6
लक्ष्म्यास्तनुत उत्पन्नं महादेवस्य च प्रियम्
Lakṣmyāstanuta utpannaṃ mahādevasya ca priyam
बिल्ववृक्षं प्रयच्छामि ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Bilvavṛkṣaṃ prayacchāmi hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
Born from the body of Lakshmi, and dear to Mahadeva,
I offer the bilva tree itself: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 7
दर्शनं बिल्ववृक्षस्य स्पर्शनं पापनाशनम्
Darśanaṃ bilvavṛkṣasya sparśanaṃ pāpanāśanam
अघोरपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Aghorapāpasaṃhāraṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
The sight of the bilva tree, and the touch of it, destroys sin;
it destroys even the most terrible sins: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 8
काशीक्षेत्रनिवासं च कालभैरवदर्शनम्
Kāśīkṣetranivāsaṃ ca kālabhairavadarśanam
प्रयागमाधवं दृष्ट्वा ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Prayāgamādhavaṃ dṛṣṭvā hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
मूलतो ब्रह्मरूपाय मध्यतो विष्णुरूपिणे
Mūlato brahmarūpāya madhyato viṣṇurūpiṇe
अग्रतः शिवरूपाय ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Agrataḥ śivarūpāya hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
Meaning
Dwelling in the sacred region of Kashi, and the darshan of Kala Bhairava,
and beholding Madhava at Prayaga: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
To the one whose form is Brahma at the root and Vishnu at the middle,
and Shiva at the tip: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 9
बिल्वाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत् शिवसन्निधौ
Bilvāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhet śivasannidhau
सर्वपाप विनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोकमवाप्नुयात्
Sarvapāpa vinirmuktaḥ śivalokamavāpnuyāt
Meaning
Whoever recites this holy Bilvashtakam in the presence of Shiva,
is freed from all sin and attains the world of Shiva.
Sourced and cross-checked against two independent sources; our meanings are written in our own words, never copied. Personal, devotional use — including printing and sharing short excerpts with attribution — is free and encouraged.
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