Shloka 29

Śiva-Naivedya-Grāhyatā-Nirṇayaḥ

On the Proper Acceptance and Merit of Śiva’s Consecrated Food-Offering

Devanagari script

बिल्वशाखां समादाय हस्तेन नवपल्लवम् । गृहीत्वा पूजयेद्बिल्वं स च पापैः प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

bilvaśākhāṃ samādāya hastena navapallavam | gṛhītvā pūjayedbilvaṃ sa ca pāpaiḥ pramucyate

Translation

Taking in one’s hand a bilva branch bearing nine fresh leaflets, one should worship Śiva with that bilva offering; thereby the devotee is freed from sins.

Word by Word

• बिल्व-शाखाम्: a bilva branch
• बिल्व-शाखाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—बिल्वस्य शाखा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सम्-आदाय: having taken
• सम्-आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—ल्यप् (absolutive/क्त्वान्त-प्रकार), अव्यय; ‘having taken up’

• हस्तेन: with the hand
• हस्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• नव-पल्लवम्: a fresh sprout/tender shoot
• नव-पल्लवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—नवः पल्लवः

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा (absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having taken/holding’

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बिल्वम्: the bilva (tree/leaf offering)
• बिल्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पापैः: from sins
• पापैः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; अपादानार्थे (instrumental used for separation)

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed
• प्रमुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that sincere bilva-offering in Shiva worship is a purifying act: devotion expressed through a sacred, prescribed offering becomes a means for pāpa-kṣaya (dissolution of sins) and inner cleansing on the path to Śiva’s grace.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Bilva is a classic upacāra for Saguna Śiva worship, typically offered to the Śiva-liṅga; the verse frames bilva-pūjā as a direct devotional service (bhakti) that draws the Lord’s anugraha (grace), which is the operative power behind purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform bilva-arcana by offering a bilva sprig/leaf cluster (noted here as nine leaflets) to Śiva—ideally alongside mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” with a focused mind and reverence.