Bilva Stotram

Bilva Leaf offered to a Shiva Lingam

1.    Tridalam Trigunaakaaram Trinetram Cha Triyaayudham

       Trijanma Paapa Samhaaram Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

2.    Trishaakhaih Bilvapatraishcha Acchidraih Komalaisshubhaih

       Tavapoojaam Karishyaami Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

3.    Koti Kanyaa Mahaadaanam Tilaparvata Kotayaha

       Kaanchanam Shailadaanena Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

4.    Kaasheekshetra Nivaasam Cha Kaalabhairava Darshanam

       Prayaage Maadhavam Drushtvaa Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

5.    Induvaare Vratam Sthitvaa Niraahaaro Maheshvarah

       Naktam Houshyaami Devesha Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

6.    Raamalinga Pratishthaa Cha Vaivaahita Krutam Tathaa

       Tataakaanicha Sandhaanam Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

7.    Akhanda Bilva Patram Cha Aayutam Shivapoojanam

       Krutam Naama Sahasrena Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

8.    Umayaa Saha Devesha Nandi Vaahanameva Cha

       Bhasmalepana Sarvaangam Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

9.    Shaaligrameshu Vipraanaam Tataakam Dashakoopayoh

       Yagnakotisahasrascha Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

10.  Dantikoti Sahasreshu Ashvamedha Shatakratau

       Kotikanyaa Mahaadaanam Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

11.Bilvaanaam Darshanam Punyam Sparshanam Paapa Naashanam

       Aghora Paapa Samhaaram Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

12.  Sahasraveda Paateshu Brahmasthaapanam Uchyate

       Anekavrata Koteenaam Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

13.  Annadaana Sahasreshu Sahasropanayanam Tathaa

       Aneka Janma Paapaani Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

Bilvastotram Idam Punyam Yahpathet Shiva Sannidhau

Shivalokam Avaapnoti Ekabilvam Shivaarpanam.

MEANING

1. One Bilva leaf with three petals offered to Shiva, who is the embodiment of the three attributes, who has three eyes and who holds the trident, destroys the sins accumulated over three lives. 

2. O, Lord Shiva, I perform your worship with three vegetables and with auspicious tender and adorable Bilva leaves. I offer one Bilva leaf to Shiva (with this feeling). 

3. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva is equal to the merit earned by giving in charity one crore maidens (by performing their marriage), crores of mountains of ‘Til’ seeds and a mountain of gold. 

4. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva is equal to the merit earned by residing in Kashi, having the darshan of Kala Bhairava (Lord Rudra who annihilates the universe at the end) and Madhava who is the chief deity of Prayaga. 

5. Adhering to the vow on Monday, fasting and remembering you day and night, O, Lord Shiva, I offer a Bilva leaf to you. 

6. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva blesses us with the merit of installing Ramalinga, performing a marriage and constructing many water tanks, and bestows upon us progeny. 

7. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva, chanting His thousand names, grants us the merit of performing the worship thousand times. 

8. I offer one Bilva leaf to Shiva, who is accompanied by Uma and is riding His vehicle Nandi (the bull) and His whole body is smeared with ash. 

9. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva is equal to giving many Shaligramas (auspicious white stones) to Brahmins, constructing ten crore water-tanks and performing thousand crore Yajnas (ritual sacrifices).

10. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva is equal to giving in charity a thousand crore tuskers during the performance of a hundred types of Yajnas including the Ashvamedha (the horse-sacrifice) and giving a crore maidens in marriage. 

11. Even beholding the Bilva leaf grants us great merit, a mere touch of it destroys our sins. By offering one such Bilva leaf to Shiva, we can get rid of all sins. 

12. A thousand chantings of Vedas amounts to installation of Brahma. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva grants us the merit of keeping up a crore of such vows. 

13. One Bilva leaf offered to Shiva bestows upon us the merit of offering food to thousands of people and performing thousands of sacred thread ceremonies and it destroys the sins of many lives. 

Whoever chants this meritorious Bilva Stotram with devotion to Shiva, attains the abode of Shiva and revels in His presence.

Source: Vandana: Students Prayer Book, Section 2, Sanskrit Hymns, Hymn 4