Bilva Ashtakam

BILVA ASHTAKAM

1.     Tri-dalam tri-guna-akaaram tri-netram cha tri-aayudham

Tri-janma papa-samha-ram eka bilvam siva-arpaam

The bilva has three leaves.  The bilva leaf has three modes- satva, rajas and tamas. The bilva has three eyes.  The bilva has  three weapons. It  destroyes the  sins of  three births. I offer a bilva to Lord Shiva.

2.     Tri-shakhaih bilva-patrai-shcha achi-draih koma-laih shu-bhaih

Siva-pujam karish-yami eka bilvam siva-arpanam

The bilva has three branches, pure, soft, auspicious.  I offer a bilva to Lord Shiva during Shiva pooja.

3.     Akhan-da bilva-patre-na poo-jite nandi-kesh-ware

Su-dhya-nti sarva pape-bhyo eka bilvam siva-arpanam

The bilva leaf is very great, I do pooja  to Lord Shiva by offering bilva to get rid of all sins and get purified.

4.     Sala-grame-shu vipre-shu ta-take-vana-kupa-yoh

Soma-yagya maha-pun-yam eka bilvam siva-arpanam

  I offer the bilva patra to Shiva that is equalent to  giving sala-grams to brah-mins, providing good watered wells, lakes and greenary to nature

5.     Yagya-koti-saha-srani aswa- medha-sata-nicha

Koti-kanya maha-danam eka bilvam siva-arpanam

I offer a bilva to shiva that equals to thousand crore yagyas, hundred aswamedhas, performing marriage of crore  beautiful virgins i.e.,  the offering of bilva to shiva  is greater  than yagnas, sacrifices and marriages.

6.     Kasi kshe-tre ni-va-sam-cha kaala-bhairava dar-shanam

Gaya-praya-ge Madhavam dris-tya eka bilvam siva-arpanam

To get the punya of living in Varanasi,  seeing kaala bairava and visiting Vishnu at Gaya and Prayaga, I offer bilva to Lord Shiva.

7.     Dar-sha-nam bilva vruk-sha-sya spar-sha-nam papa-nasha-nam

Aghora-papa sam-haram eka bilvam siva-arpanam

Seeing the bilva,  touching the bilva tree  destroys all types of  sins. I offer bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.

8.     Moo-lato Brahma roopa-aya madh-yato Vishnu roo-pine

Agra-taha Shiva roo-paya eka bilvam siva-arpanam

The base of the bilva tree is Brahma, the middle of the bilva tree is Vishnu and the upper part of the bilva tree is Shiva i.e., the bilva tree is the form of the holy trinity.  I offer a bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.

9.     Bilva-astaka-midam punyam yah pate shiva-sanni-dhau

Sarva papa vinir-muktaha siva-loka ma-vapnu-yat

The above eight bilva slokas give lot of punya and grant boons to the devotees.  The bilva astakam removes all sins.  Every day parayan grants the boon of living with the divine androgyne Parvathi, Parameshwara.