𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍

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.

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌦𑌳𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌚 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌧𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌸𑌂𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌖𑍈𑌃 𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍈𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌅𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍈𑌃 𑌕𑍋𑌮𑌲𑍈𑌃 𑌶𑍁𑌭𑍈𑌃 ।
𑌤𑌵𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿 𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌤𑌿𑌲𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤 𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌯𑌃 ।
𑌕𑌾𑌂𑌚𑌨𑌂 𑌶𑍈𑌲𑌦𑌾𑌨𑍇𑌨 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌕𑌾𑌶𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌂 𑌚 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌭𑍈𑌰𑌵 𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌨𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌗𑍇 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑌂 𑌦𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌟𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌇𑌂𑌦𑍁𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍇 𑌵𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌹𑌾𑌰𑍋 𑌮𑌹𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌾𑌃 ।
𑌨𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌹𑍌𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍇𑌶 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌲𑌿𑌂𑌗 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌾 𑌚 𑌵𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌿𑌕 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑌥𑌾 ।
𑌤𑌟𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌨𑌿𑌚 𑌸𑌂𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌅𑌖𑌂𑌡 𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌚 𑌆𑌯𑍁𑌤𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌨𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌨𑌾𑌮 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌣 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌉𑌮𑌯𑌾 𑌸𑌹𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍇𑌶 𑌨𑌂𑌦𑌿 𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌨𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌚 ।
𑌭𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌲𑍇𑌪𑌨 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂𑌗𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌸𑌾𑌲𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌵𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌂 𑌤𑌟𑌾𑌕𑌂 𑌦𑌶𑌕𑍂𑌪𑌯𑍋𑌃 ।
𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌞𑍍𑌨𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌦𑌂𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌅𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍇𑌧𑌶𑌤𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍌 𑌚 ।
𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌂 𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌨𑌂 𑌪𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌨𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌅𑌘𑍋𑌰 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌸𑌂𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑌵𑍇𑌦 𑌪𑌾𑌟𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌨𑌮𑍁𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌅𑌨𑍇𑌕𑌵𑍍𑌰𑌤 𑌕𑍋𑌟𑍀𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌦𑌾𑌨 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌪𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌂 𑌤𑌧𑌾 ।
𑌅𑌨𑍇𑌕 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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.

𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑌿𑌦𑌂 𑌪𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌠𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌶𑌿𑌵 𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌧𑍌 ।
𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌮𑌵𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌨𑍋𑌤𑌿 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

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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𑌵𑌿𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪 𑌸𑌂𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌦𑌳𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌚 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌧𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌸𑌂𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 1 ॥

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌖𑍈𑌃 𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍈𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌅𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍈𑌃 𑌕𑍋𑌮𑌲𑍈𑌃 𑌶𑍁𑌭𑍈𑌃 ।
𑌤𑌵𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 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.

𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌨𑌂 𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌵𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌸𑍍𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌨𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌅𑌘𑍋𑌰𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌸𑌂𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 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.

𑌸𑌾𑌲𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌵𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌤𑌟𑌾𑌕𑍇 𑌵𑌨𑌕𑍂𑌪𑌯𑍋𑌃 ।
𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌞𑍍𑌨𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 4 ॥

𑌦𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌅𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍇𑌧 𑌶𑌤𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌚 ।
𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌨𑍇𑌨 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 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.

𑌏𑌕𑌂 𑌚 𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍈𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌞𑍍𑌨 𑌫𑌲𑌂 𑌲𑌭𑍇𑌤𑍍 ।
𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍈𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌂 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 6 ॥

By performing countelss Yagnas
One acquires great virtue
Such virtue can be earned by
Offering a single Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.

𑌕𑌾𑌶𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌂 𑌚 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌭𑍈𑌰𑌵 𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌨𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌗𑌯𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌗 𑌮𑍇 𑌦𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌟𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 𑍭 ॥

𑌉𑌮𑌯𑌾 𑌸𑌹 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍇𑌶𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌂𑌦𑌿𑌶𑌂𑌕𑌰𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌮𑍁𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌪𑌾𑌪𑍇𑌭𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌏𑌕𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ 𑍮 ॥

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.

𑌇𑌤𑌿 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀 𑌬𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍 ॥

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