The Bael Tree -or Bilwa Tree (Aegle marmelos) Bilwa Patra- samarpan

                                                           BhavaniShankara in Green leaves-
                                             Above Photo courtesy ackd.from Shri Gourang Kodikal)

        The Bilwa stotra starts with this stotra line and offering a Bilwa Patra  -Tridalam trigunakaaram   
        trinethram cha triyayusham, Trijanma papa samharam Eka bilwam shivarpanam.

                                                                       Pooja at Our home -

The Bael Tree -or Bilwa Tree (Aegle marmelos), and its tri -leaves of Bilwa, each leaf consisting of three leaves is used specially  for the Worship of Lord Shiva- at all poojas and especially on Mondays, Pradosh Vrata and annual Shree Maha Shivarathri.

The trifoliate leaf or tripatra of the bael tree symbolizes the three functions of the Lord- viz. the creation, preservation and destruction as well as his three eyes-third eye being the Tri netra of  " Seeing Eye" .

The Bilwa 3 in 1 leaf represents all the various 3 Aspects in Vedic Shastras that we follow- inc all asppects of the TRIAD inc of Past Present & Future -Trikaal .But in our Prayers we seek to awaken our dormant self and so this has great significance-esp in Shiva Ratri pooja of Jagraan and sadhana -

Man lives in 3 + 1 states. . We all experience the first 3 states:
1.JAGRAT-Waking State
2.SWAPNA-Dream State
3.SUSHUPTI-Deep Sleep
4 Turiya only Great masters experience -
but we can at least awaken our  minds from routine to be receptive for Shiva Tattvas

                                            Lord Shiva Sannidhi- at Vithal 
                                        Shreemath Ananthehshwar Temple

Om Namah Shivaya –

This mantra is also explained thus:

OM - Pranava is Absolute Brahman i.e. God without Form, name, shape.

NA – Prithvi tattva (earth - material as ash)

MA – Jala tattva (water content in our body)

SHI – Agni tattva of Tejas as in the Sun & Heat of body temperature.

VA-  Vayu tattva  as the vital energy force of pancha prana

YAH –Akash (sukshma aspect) and is the  space  for circulation in our body and in universe for the spirit to move.                                               

HaraHar Mahadeva -
rgds
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