Lyrics · Meaning · Audio
Eight verses on offering a single three-leafed bilva leaf to Shiva — each ending ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam, “one bilva leaf, offered to Shiva” — the simplest and most loved of all Shiva offerings.
Traditional hymn, author unknown
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Bilvashtakam
Son of Kali · Mahashivaratri Mantras
Each line shows an easy way to say it, with its English meaning. Turn on the Sanskrit, the exact pronunciation or the word-by-word meaning whenever you want to go deeper.
त्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनेत्रं च त्रियायुधम् ।
Tridalam Trigunakaram Trinetram Cha Triyayudham
tridalaṃ triguṇākāraṃ trinetraṃ ca triyāyudham
Three-leafed, shaped like the three qualities of nature, like the three eyes and the trident,
त्रिजन्मपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ १ ॥
Trijanma Papa Samharam Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
trijanmapāpasaṃhāraṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
destroying the sins of three lifetimes — one bilva leaf I offer to Shiva.
त्रिशाखैर्बिल्वपत्रैश्च अच्छिद्रैः कोमलैः शुभैः ।
Trishakhair Bilva Patraish Cha Achchhidraih Komalaih Shubhaih
triśākhairbilvapatraiśca acchidraiḥ komalaiḥ śubhaiḥ
With three-pronged bilva leaves, whole, tender and beautiful,
शिवपूजां करिष्यामि एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ २ ॥
Shiva Pujam Karishyami Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
śivapūjāṃ kariṣyāmi ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
I will worship Shiva — one bilva leaf I offer to Shiva.
अखण्डबिल्वपत्रेण पूजिते नन्दिकेश्वरे ।
Akhanda Bilva Patrena Pujite Nandikeshvare
akhaṇḍabilvapatreṇa pūjite nandikeśvare
When the lord of Nandi is worshipped with an unbroken bilva leaf,
शुद्ध्यन्ति सर्वपापेभ्यो एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ ३ ॥
Shuddhyanti Sarva Papebhyo Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
śuddhyanti sarvapāpebhyo ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
people are cleansed of all wrongs — one bilva leaf I offer to Shiva.
शालिग्रामशिलामेकां विप्राणां जातु अर्पयेत् ।
Saligrama Shilam Ekam Vipranam Jatu Arpayet
śāligrāmaśilāmekāṃ viprāṇāṃ jātu arpayet
It brings the merit of giving a sacred Shaligrama stone to the learned,
सोमयज्ञमहापुण्यं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ ४ ॥
Soma Yagya Maha Punyam Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
somayajñamahāpuṇyaṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
and the great merit of the Soma sacrifice — one bilva leaf I offer to Shiva.
दन्तिकोटिसहस्राणि वाजपेयशतानि च ।
Danti Koti Sahasrani Vajapeya Shatani Cha
dantikoṭisahasrāṇi vājapeyaśatāni ca
Like giving away countless thousands of elephants, or performing a hundred great Vajapeya sacrifices,
कोटिकन्यामहादानं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ ५ ॥
Koti Kanya Mahadanam Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
koṭikanyāmahādānaṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
or the great gift of countless marriages — such is one bilva leaf offered to Shiva.
लक्ष्म्याः स्तनत उत्पन्नं महादेवस्य च प्रियम् ।
Lakshmyah Stanata Utpannam Mahadevasya Cha Priyam
lakṣmyāḥ stanata utpannaṃ mahādevasya ca priyam
Born from Lakshmi herself and beloved of the great god Shiva,
बिल्ववृक्षं प्रयच्छामि एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ ६ ॥
Bilva Vriksham Prayachchhami Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
bilvavṛkṣaṃ prayacchāmi ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
is the bilva tree I offer — one bilva leaf I offer to Shiva.
दर्शनं बिल्ववृक्षस्य स्पर्शनं पापनाशनम् ।
Darshanam Bilva Vrikshasya Sparshanam Papa Nashanam
darśanaṃ bilvavṛkṣasya sparśanaṃ pāpanāśanam
Even seeing the bilva tree, even touching it, wipes away wrongs;
अघोरपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ ७ ॥
Aghora Papa Samharam Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
aghorapāpasaṃhāraṃ ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
it destroys even the gravest sins — one bilva leaf I offer to Shiva.
मूलतो ब्रह्मरूपाय मध्यतो विष्णुरूपिणे ।
Mulato Brahma Rupaya Madhyato Vishnu Rupine
mūlato brahmarūpāya madhyato viṣṇurūpiṇe
Its root is Brahma, its middle is Vishnu,
अग्रतः शिवरूपाय एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥ ८ ॥
Agratah Shiva Rupaya Ekabilvam Shivarpanam
agrataḥ śivarūpāya ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam
and its tip is Shiva — one bilva leaf I offer to Shiva.
बिल्वाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ ।
Bilvashtakam Idam Punyam Yah Pathech Chiva Sannidhau
bilvāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau
Whoever recites this holy Bilvashtakam in the presence of Shiva
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोकमवाप्नुयात् ॥
Sarva Papa Vinirmuktah Shivalokam Avapnuyat
sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ śivalokamavāpnuyāt
is freed from all wrongs and reaches the realm of Shiva.
The bilva (also called bel or wood-apple) tree is sacred to Shiva, and its three-part leaf is the offering he loves most. Bilvashtakam, “eight verses on the bilva,” praises that leaf and promises that even one, offered with devotion, is worth more than the grandest rituals.
Every verse ends with the same humble line: ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam — “I offer one bilva leaf to Shiva.” The hymn says this single leaf outweighs giving away thousands of elephants, performing a hundred great Vedic sacrifices, or donating a mountain of gold. The point is not the leaf itself, but the love behind it.
The three leaflets carry rich symbolism: Shiva’s three eyes, his trident, the three qualities of nature (sattva, rajas, tamas), the three worlds and the three times — past, present and future. Offering the leaf is offering everything.
On the night of Maha Shivaratri, a hunter climbed a bilva tree to wait for prey. Restless and unable to sleep, he plucked leaves one by one and dropped them to the ground — not knowing a Shiva Linga lay hidden beneath the tree. His tears fell on it too.
Without meaning to, he had kept an all-night vigil, fasted and worshipped Shiva with bilva leaves and water. Shiva appeared and blessed him with liberation. The story is told every Shivaratri to show that Shiva values the heart, not ritual perfection.
Verse 6 says the bilva tree arose from Lakshmi herself. In one story, Lakshmi offered lotuses to Shiva every day; when one day she was a single flower short, she decided to offer her own body. Pleased, Shiva turned her offering into the bilva tree, so that she would be part of his worship forever.
That is why the bilva is honoured as auspicious and full of Lakshmi’s grace.
When to chant
How many times
Once through while offering leaves; many offer one leaf at each verse, eight in all.
If you have bilva leaves, choose fresh ones with all three leaflets whole.
Wash them and place them before a Shiva Linga or image.
Listen to the recording once with the meaning on.
Chant verse by verse, offering one leaf as you say “ekabilvaṃ śivārpaṇam.”
Finish with the closing verse and a few rounds of Om Namah Shivaya.
The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.
tridalaṃ
tri-da-lum — “three-leafed.”
ekabilvaṃ
ay-ka-bil-vum.
śivārpaṇam
shi-vaar-pa-num — “offered to Shiva,” ṇ with the tongue curled back.
trijanmapāpa
tri-jun-ma-paa-pa.
The music
by Son of Kali
What does Bilvashtakam mean?
It means “eight verses on the bilva leaf.” Each verse praises the bilva leaf and ends with “one bilva leaf, offered to Shiva.”
Why is the bilva leaf offered to Shiva?
Its three leaflets symbolise Shiva’s three eyes and trident, the three qualities of nature and the three worlds. Tradition says Shiva loves it more than any other offering.
Who wrote Bilvashtakam?
It is a traditional hymn whose author is unknown. It is found in classic collections of stotras.
When is Bilvashtakam chanted?
While offering bilva leaves to Shiva — especially on Mondays, in the month of Shravan and on Maha Shivaratri.