As everybody in the Hindu religion is aware, Lord Shiva is one of the most powerful of Gods. Considered to be the destroyer, he also bestows his devotees with the best in life when worshipped as he should be!
Shiva, known as the Ashtamurthi, is worshipped in different forms: Sharva, Rudra, Bhava, Bhima, Ugra, Ishana, Pashupati, and Mahadeva are the earth, yogi, wind, sun, moon, water, fire, and sky respectively. The Devotees of Lord Shiva grandly celebrate the Maha Shivaratri every year. The temples are decorated, and poojas are performed throughout the day and night to appease the lord. His blessings and divine intervention when his devotees are in trouble are depicted in the mythology.
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Bilva Patra or Bel Leaves
This year, the Mahashivratri falls on Tuesday, March 1st. It is indeed a special day for all the Shaivites in the world. Did you know that worshipping the lord with Bel leaves or Bilva leaves will bring immense blessings to his devotees? In the Tri-foliate form, Bel leaves are showered on the Shiva Lingam along with powerful mantras. Going by the botanical name Aegle marmilos, the Bel Tree is a sacred Hindu tree. In fact, the leaf represents Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu.
Significance of Bel Leaves in Worshipping Shiva
Bel leaves, with their trifoliate shape, indicate the three eyes of Lord Shiva. Also, it represents the three spokes of the lord’s weapon Trishul. The Bel leaves by nature have a cooling effect, and offering them to Shiva will cool down his hot temper. There is also a strong belief that the worshippers performing the pooja on Maha Shivaratri with Bel leaves can gain spiritual powers. The significance of the Bel tree is so much that its wood is used only for sacrificial fires and not for any other purpose in fear of incurring the lord’s wrath.
Importance of Bilva Patra
- Worshipping a Shiva Linga under a Bel Tree can bring salvation
- Offering Bel leaf to Lord Shiva pleases the lord immensely
- By lighting a lamp under a Bilva tree, one can gain knowledge
- By feeding food to the deprived under a Bilva tree, one can never get poor.
Bilva Patra and Lord Shiva’s three eyes
In a fight with the demon Tarakasura, Lord Shiva absorbed the powerful weapon used by the demon, which formed the third eye. There is a strong belief that this third eye symbolises destruction. However, there is another belief that the third eye signifies wisdom. The Bilva Patra, being trifoliate, symbolises Shiva’s three eyes, making it a meaningful addition to all the poojas.
Three Gunas
The three segments of the Bel leaf symbolically represent the three Gunas - Tamas (physical body), Rajas (emotions), and Satvic (intellect).
Puranas Connect with the Bilva Patra
According to the Agni Purana, on an auspicious day in the Bhadra month, the devotees of Lord Shiva must go on a day-long fast and eat the bel leaves at night to gain his blessings.
The Padma Purana and Brahma Purana say that Shiva hid in the Bilva Patra to escape conquering Asuras. According to the Skanda Purana, the Bel tree grew from Parvati’s perspiration.
The Story of Bel Tree Saving a Shiva Devotee
The story goes like this… Once upon a time, an ardent Shiva devotee had to cross a forest. As he was walking in the night, he lost his way and, to his dismay, was chased by a tiger. He climbed up the Bel tree to escape the animal and stayed up there all night. To stop himself from dozing off, he plucked the leaves from the tree and dropped them on the ground all night. When the sun began to shine, he noticed that the tree was Bilva, and the leaves he was dropping fell on the Shiva Linga that was beneath the tree. Without knowing what he was doing, he was, in fact doing the Bilva Patra Abhishekam on the lord all night long, and that had saved his life.
Chanting Bilvashtakam
Lakshmyaascha stana utpannam Mahaadeva sadaa priyam, Bilva vriksham prayachchhaami eka bilvam Shivaarpanam.Darshanam bilva vrikshasya sparshanam paapanaashanam, Aghorapaapasamhaaram eka bilvam shivarpanam.
This is the Bilvashtakam that should be chanted while doing the Abhishekam.
Mahashivratri and Bilva Patra
Mahashivratri is the most celebrated ritual of Lord Shiva. Therefore, it goes without saying that the Bilva Patra plays an integral part in the celebration of Maha Shivaratri. On Maha Shivaratri, Bel Patra is one of the essentials offered to Lord Shiva.
Offering the Lord a Bilva Patra on Mahashivratri is mandatory. In fact, enormous amounts of Bilva Patras or Bel Leaves are offered to Lord Shiva by his devotees on Mahashivratri. These leaves are offered to Shiva linga along with the chanting of Mahamrityunjaya along with other Shiva mantras.
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