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Lord Shiva is known to be a simple god who is pleased with even the modest offerings that can include water, milk, Bilva leaves and fruits. The true key to a successful offering to Shiva is the devotion and pure heart of the devotee, not the richness of the offering.
Bilva (Aegle marmelos) or Baelis is the Indian wood apple tree. It is referred to in Sri Suktam as a Vanaspathi that belongs to Sri (vanaspatis tava vrikshó’ tha bilvah). In the Indian texts, Vanaspathi is described as a class of trees that bear fruit; but, with no blossoming of flowers (a-pushpah, phalavantah).
“Shree Sooktam” eulogizes Goddess Lakshmi as…
“aadityavarne tapasodhijaato vanaspatistava vrukshotha bilvaha tasya phalaani tapasaa nudantu maayaanta raayaashcha baahyaa alakshmeehi ||”
Oh Lakshmi, who is as bright as the sun, that noble tree, Bilva was brought forth by your devout austerities (tapas). May the fruits of the tree drive away my misfortunes and poverty both internal and external.
In “Maha Lakshmi Ashtothara Shatanaama Stotram” we find Goddess Lakshmi described as “bilva nilayam” the one who dwells in the Bilva Tree.
”Bilva nilayAm varArOhAm yashasvinIm”.
A Garden of Bilva trees (Bilva Vanam) is equivalent to Kaashi kshetram. It is very auspicious to have a Bilva tree at home. According to Vastu-Sastra, a house with Bilva Tree in the North East bestows all kinds of wealth & removes unforeseen dangers.
A conversation between Lord Vishnu and Paarvati, which occurs in Shiva Rahasya, named as “Bilva Ashtottara Shata Stotram”, goes like this:
tena swargamavaapnoti Shiva saayujyamaapnuyaat”
If one worships with the three segmented Bilva leaf, on ashtami days (eighth phase of moon), Mondays and Thursdays, Pradhosha kaalams or Shiva raatiri days or on star Arudhra days, with 108 leaves on Lord Shiva’s head, He would reach heaven and would merge with Lord Shiva.
A confluence of three leaves (trifoliate) is called “bilva dala”. It is a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva’s weapon Trident (trishool) which destroys the sins of past 3 births. There are also penta-foliate Bilva leaves, having 5 leaves, known as panchadala patra found on some Bilva trees and we may find 7 or 11 leaves also. Maha vilvam has 12 leaves.
It is mentioned in Puranas that when Lord Shiva consumed the deadly Halahala poison which emerged during the samudram Mandan process, he suffered from severe irritation in his throat, and he was cured by Devas by offering Bilva leaves which has a cooloing effect. Hence forth, bilva leaves became an essential offering to Lord Shiva.
The Bilva fruit, skin, leaves and roots are said to be lively (sri-yukta), having great medicinal properties.
There is a story of a hunter who went up a tree to avoid a tiger and stayed up the tree the whole night as the tiger was still roaming around on the ground. To make sure he did not fall asleep, he started plucking the leaves one by one and throwed it down. He also washed his face frequently using the water in hand. He did not know that htere was a shiva lingam atthe bottom of the tree and it was a shiva rathri day. The tree on which he was stuck that night was a bilva tree and he had in fact been offering the bilva leaves to shiva lingam and offering water for abishekam too. In the morning he was transformed into a spiritually enlightened person by the grace of the Lord. Lord Shiva blessed the hunter, absolving him of his sins and granting him salvation. If such acts of accidental worship can benefit the person, one can understand the benefits if one purposelfully offers bilva leaves to the Lord.
Let us now proceed to understand the Bilvaashtakam, given to us by Saint Sri Adi Shankara.
Bilvaashtakam - Text and Meaning
A Bilva dalam has 3 leaves as a cluster; may be it represents three Gunas (Satva, Rajas, Tamas). Or may be it represents the three eyes of Lord Shiva, namely, the Sun, Moon and Agni. It may also represent the Trishul (Trident). Lord Shiva has three weapons, the mace, trident and the bow (pinaka) to save his devotes. Hence the word 'triyayutham' is usd here.
What ever it may represent, the fact remains that the moment we utter Lord Shiva's name and offer him one bilva leaf, we are rid of all the accumulated sins of the past janmas. I therefore offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva. This is the merit of offering one bilva leaf.
triśākhaiḥ bilvapatraiścha achchidraiḥ kōmalaiḥ śubhaiḥ ।
I offer one whole and defect free Bilva leaf of to Shiva, who is the Lord of Nandikeswara. With this offering just one leaf, I am freed of all sins.
By offering one bilva dalam to Lord Shiva with devotion, I aqcuire the punya of having performed one crore Kanya dhananm (offering daughters in marriage), offerng a mountain of gold and also mountains of sesame seeds as gift.
The Lord of Lords, Maheswara, willl bless us when we observe vratam on Mondays by not taking any food (fasting) in the mornings and have light food in the evening time. Such Somavara vratam will please the Lord. Let us offer one bilva leaf to Lord Shiva on Mondays .
By offering one bilva leaf to Lord Shiva, we obtain the blessings same as that received by Lord Rama when he installed the Shiva Linga at Rameswaram. The merit of installing the Ramalingam (as Lord Rama did), and similarly, the merit gained by performing marriages and constructing lakes, is equal to that of offering a single bilva leaf to Lord Shiva
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.
Oh Lord Shiva, You are seated beside your consrt Goddess Uma, with Nandai as your vehicle. Your whole body is smeared with the holy ashes. I hereby offer one leaf of Bilva to you.
सालग्रामॆषु विप्राणां तटाकं दशकूपयॊः
यज्नकॊटि सहस्रस्च ऎकबिल्वं शिवार्पणं
This verse mentions the benefits of giving away three gifts, namely, thousands of elephants, large number of sacrifices through Aswamedha Yaga and performing many kanya dhaanams to eligible bachelors. The virtue derived by these gifts can be obtained simply by offering one bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
Bilva tree is so holy that even a mere dharshan of the tree is considered meritorious. Also even touching the tree destroys our sins. Even extreme sins committed by us gets washed away. The reason for this is that a bilva tree is the residing place of all the gods. I offer one bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.
By offering one bilva leaf to Lord Shiva, one aquired the benefit of reciting the Vedas a thousadn times, which elevates one to great spiritual heights and it also offers the benefit of observing fasting many times.
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