Bilvashtakam
Draft — pending review. This text has been sourced and translated per our editorial policy, but has not yet completed human review against sung versions. Wording may change.
verse 1
त्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनेत्रं च त्रियायुधम्
Tridalaṃ triguṇākāraṃ trinetraṃ ca triyāyudham
Three-lobed, shaped like the three gunas, like the three eyes and like the three-pointed weapon,
त्रिजन्मपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Trijanmapāpasaṃhāraṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
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
With bilva leaves of three lobes, unpierced, tender and auspicious,
शिवपूजां करिष्यामि ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Śivapūjāṃ kariṣyāmi hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
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
When Nandikeshvara is worshipped with an unbroken bilva leaf,
शुद्ध्यन्ति सर्वपापेभ्यो ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Śuddhyanti sarvapāpebhyo hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
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
Whoever offers a single shaligrama stone to brahmins,
सोमयज्ञ महापुण्यं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Somayajña mahāpuṇyaṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
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
Thousands of crores of elephants given in charity, and a hundred Vajapeya sacrifices,
कोटिकन्या महादानं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Koṭikanyā mahādānaṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
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
Born from the body of Lakshmi, and dear to Mahadeva,
बिल्ववृक्षं प्रयच्छामि ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Bilvavṛkṣaṃ prayacchāmi hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
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
The sight of the bilva tree, and the touch of it, destroys sin;
अघोरपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Aghorapāpasaṃhāraṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
it destroys even the most terrible sins: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
verse 8
काशीक्षेत्रनिवासं च कालभैरवदर्शनम्
Kāśīkṣetranivāsaṃ ca kālabhairavadarśanam
Dwelling in the sacred region of Kashi, and the darshan of Kala Bhairava,
प्रयागमाधवं दृष्ट्वा ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Prayāgamādhavaṃ dṛṣṭvā hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
and beholding Madhava at Prayaga: this single bilva leaf is my offering to Shiva.
मूलतो ब्रह्मरूपाय मध्यतो विष्णुरूपिणे
Mūlato brahmarūpāya madhyato viṣṇurūpiṇe
To the one whose form is Brahma at the root and Vishnu at the middle,
अग्रतः शिवरूपाय ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्
Agrataḥ śivarūpāya hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
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
Whoever recites this holy Bilvashtakam in the presence of Shiva,
सर्वपाप विनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोकमवाप्नुयात्
Sarvapāpa vinirmuktaḥ śivalokamavāpnuyāt
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.