Namaskar
The Bilwa tree, fruit and leaf in pics. taken at Chennai at Adyar recently.
In earlier years, Bilwas were not seen frequently in Chennai temple shops selling flowers.It was mostly grown in homes and distributed in select temples and to Devotees. Even these used to be often found with insect or fungus affected leaves and it was a sad sight-
Now with many Tree Planting Campaigns and care, fresh Bilwa Leaves and malaas which are so nicely strung with white flowers too are available in many South Chennai Temples.
Earlier the Jasmine white scented flowers alone was seen.
Earlier the Jasmine white scented flowers alone was seen.
The Bilwa &White Jasmine go together in Shiva Pooja with Milk & Abhisheka :.
Om Namaha Shivayah
Eka Bilwa Shiva Arpanam
At Shree Mangesh Sannidhi at Srimath Anantheshwar Temple, Vithal.
The Triad of 3 is seen in the Bilwa "Trifoliate" leaf –
Refer Samvit Sadhana and all aspects of Tridalam--- Triguna, Trijanma (threefold aspect) with Bilwa Ashtottara)
Above & below photo taken in 1986, in our home "Mahalakshmi"-in pooja room.
Om Shree Gurubyo Namaha --
The 4 main aspects of shivaratri poojan and aradhana as taught at earlier MahaShivratris by our Respected Pujya Sadyojat Shankarashram Swamiji of our S.C.Math in Hubli devasthana:
1) Mouna Vrata 2) Upavaas, 3) Jagran 4) Ratri Aradhana in 4 parts with Abhisheka & Bilva Patra & Pushpa Pooja.
NOTE
The Sthakla Vrikshas in temples are all being also well cared for and have been covered in earlier blog posts.
Om Shree Gurubyo Namaha --
The 4 main aspects of shivaratri poojan and aradhana as taught at earlier MahaShivratris by our Respected Pujya Sadyojat Shankarashram Swamiji of our S.C.Math in Hubli devasthana:
1) Mouna Vrata 2) Upavaas, 3) Jagran 4) Ratri Aradhana in 4 parts with Abhisheka & Bilva Patra & Pushpa Pooja.
NOTE
The Sthakla Vrikshas in temples are all being also well cared for and have been covered in earlier blog posts.
Will add in shortly the Punnai (Punnaga) Tree at Shree Kapaleeshwar Temple.
The Vanni (Banni /Shammi) Tree in the premises of Shree Marundeeshwar Temple already posted.
OM NAMAHA SHIVAYAH
Kind Regards all
TR
Devotion does not mean Love to the Lord alone. It is to embrace all creation for all are his forms only. A true devotee expands his love to identify with all and feels his essential oneness with the totality. He continuously remains in the condition of just “BE”.
Love is essentially something, very much of a subjective experience, that it refuses to be fully and efficiently handled by language.Worship is an act wherein the organs of perception and action, and the mind are brought together to play at the altar of His glory. The seeker gets his inspiration from the contemplation of His beauty, Love and Grace.
Swami Chinmayananda
Bilwashtakam
ReplyDeleteTranslated by P. R. Ramachander
http://www.saivism.net/prayers/bilwa.asp
The leaves of Bilwa (Aegle marmelos), which has multiple leaves, with each leaf consisting of three leaves is very dear to Lord Shiva. Offering this leaf to Lord Shiva pleases him especially on the Shivarathri .There are several stories how people got salvation by offering one Bilwa leaf to Lord Shiva.
Tridalam trigunakaaram trinethram cha triyayusham,
Trijanma papa samharam Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 1
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
Which has three leaves,
Which causes three qualities,
Which are like the three eyes of Shiva,
Which is like the triad of weapons,
And which destroys sins of three births.
Trishakhai bilwapathraischa hyachidrai komalai shubai,
Shiva poojam karishyami, Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 2
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
Which has three shoots,
Which do not have holes,
Which are good and pretty,
And worship Lord Shiva.
Akhanda bilwa pathrena poojithe nandikeshware,
Shudhyanthi sarva papebhyo, Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 3
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
For if an uncut leaf is offered,
To his vahana(Bull) the god Nandi,
We get cleaned of all our sins.
Salagrama shilamekaam vipranam jatha cha arpayeth,
Soma yagna maha punyam, Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 4
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
For it is equal to, offering a saligrama to a Brahmin,
Or the great blessing got out of performing Soma Yaga,
Dandi koti sahasrani vajapeya sathani cha,
Koti kanya maha danam, Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 5
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
For it is equal to gifting thousand elephants,
Or the performing of hundred fire sacrifices,
Or giving away billions of girls.
Lakshmyasthanutha uthpannam mahadevasya cha priyam,
Bilwa vruksham prayachami, Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 6
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
For it is equal to giving a tree of Bilwa,
Which was born from the heart and kindness of of Lakshmi,
And which is very dear to the Lord Shiva.
Darshanam bilwa vrukshasya, sparsanam papa nasanam,
Aghora papa samharam, Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 7
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
As seeing and touching of a tree of Bilwa,
Washes away ones sins and also very great sins.
Kasi kshethra nivasam cha kala bhairava darshanam,
Prayaga madhavam drushtwa, Eka bilwam shivarpanam. 8
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
After living in the city of Kasi,
Seeing the Kala Bhairawa,
And also visiting the temple
Of Madhava in Allahabad.
Moolatho brahma roopaya, madhyatho Vishnu roopini
Agratha shiva roopaya, Eka bilwam shivarpanam 9
I offer one leaf of Bilwa to Lord Shiva,
As Brahma resides at its bottom,
Lord Vishnu lives in its middle,
And Lord Shiva lives in its tip.
Bilwashtakam idham punyaam, padeth shiva sannidhou,
Sarva papa nirmuktha Shiva loka maapnuyath. 10
Reading this holy octet of Bilwa,
In the presence of Lord Shiva,
Would save one from all sins,
And in the end take him to the world of Shiva.
OM NAMAHA SHIVAYAH
ReplyDeleteFrom Ref Sources:
The Bilva tree in the Shiva Purana
According to the Shiva Purana (7 AD) the Bilva tree is the manifest form of Lord Shiva himself, while all the great tirthas (pilgrimage places) are said to reside at its base. One who worships the shivalingam while sitting under the Bilva, claims this great epic, attains the state of Shiva. Washing the head by this tree is said to be the equivalent of bathing in all the sacred rivers.
One who performs Bilva pooja with flowers and incense achieves Shiva loka, the abode of pure consciousness, and has happiness and prosperity bestowed upon them.
The lighting of the deepak (lamp) before this tree bestows knowledge and enables the devotee to merge in Lord Shiva.
The Shiva Purana also claims that if the devotee removes the new leaves from one of the branches of that tree and worships the tree with them, they will be freed from vice, while one who feeds a devotee under the Bilva will grow in virtue.
Namskar to the sources
with Thanks TR