Bilvashtakam
त्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनॆत्रं च त्रियायुधं । त्रिजन्म पापसंहारम् ऎकबिल्वं शिवार्पणं ॥१॥
tridalaṃ triguṇākāraṃ trinĕtraṃ ca triyāyudhaṃ . trijanma pāpasaṃhāram ĕkabilvaṃ śivārpaṇaṃ || 1 ||
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.
त्रिशाखैः बिल्वपत्रैp श्च ह्यच्छिद्रैः कोमलैः शुभैः । शिवपूजां करिष्यामि ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ २॥
triśākhaiḥ bilvapatraiśca hyacchidraiḥ komalaiḥ śubhaiḥ | śivapūjāṃ kariṣyāmi hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam || 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.
अखण्ड बिल्वपत्रेण पूजिते नन्दिकेश्वरे । शुद्ध्यन्ति सर्वपापेभ्यो ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥३॥
akhaṇḍa bilvapatreṇa pūjite nandikeśvare | śuddhyanti sarvapāpebhyo hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam || 3 || By offering puja to Shiva – The Lord of Nandi With a single bilva leaf that is whole and without defects One is freed from all sins. I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.
शालिग्राम शिलामेकां विप्राणां जातु चार्पयेत् । सोमयज्ञ महापुण्यं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥४॥I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva For it is equal to, offering a Shaligrama (a rare stone) to a Brahmin who has realized the Self Or the great blessing got out of performing the Soma Yaga.
दन्तिकोटि सहस्राणी वाजपेय शतानि च । कोटिकन्या महादानं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥५॥dantikoṭi sahasrāṇī vājapeya śatāni ca | koṭikanyā mahādānaṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam ||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.लक्ष्म्यास्तनुत उत्पन्नं महादेवस्य च प्रियम् । बिल्ववृक्षं प्रयच्छामि ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥६॥ lakṣmyāstanuta utpannaṃ mahādevasya ca priyam . bilvavṛkṣaṃ prayacchāmi hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam ||6|| The Bilva tree arises from the body of Lakshmi. And the Bilva tree is adored by Lord Shiva. I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.दर्शनं बिल्ववृक्षस्य स्पर्शनं पापनाशनम् । अघोरपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवर्पणम् ॥ ७॥ काशीक्षेत्रनिवासं च कालभैरवदर्शनम् । प्रयाघमाधवं दृष्ट्वा ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥darśanaṃ bilvavṛkṣasya sparśanaṃ pāpanāśanam . aghorapāpasaṃhāraṃ ekabilvaṃ śivarpaṇam || 7|| kāśīkṣetranivāsaṃ ca kālabhairavadarśanam . prayāghamādhavaṃ dṛṣṭvā hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam || 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. 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 Bilva leaf He is assured of the Lord’s grace. I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.मूलतो ब्रह्मरूपाय मध्यतो विष्णुरूपिणे । अग्रतः शिवरूपाय ह्येकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ ८॥ mūlato brahmarūpāya madhyato viṣṇurūpiṇe . agrataḥ śivarūpāya hyekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam || 8|| Worshipping Lord Shiva with a leaf from the Bilva tree which represents Brahma, the creator in the root portion Vishnu, the sustainer in the middle portion And Shiva, the destroyer in the top portion One can derive Supreme benefit. I offer one leaf of Bilva to Lord Shiva.बिल्वाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत् शिवसन्निधौ । सर्वपाप विनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोकमवाप्नुयात् ॥bilvāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhet śivasannidhau | sarvapāpa vinirmuktaḥ śivalokamavāpnuyāt || 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.