Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 38
पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow
प्रत्येकमपरा संख्या शतमष्टोत्तरं द्विजाः । तत्रापि च विशेषेण न त्यजेद्बिल्वपत्रकम्
pratyekamaparā saṃkhyā śatamaṣṭottaraṃ dvijāḥ | tatrāpi ca viśeṣeṇa na tyajedbilvapatrakam
Ô vous, deux-fois-nés, pour chaque offrande il est prescrit un autre nombre : cent huit. Même parmi celles-ci, surtout, qu’on n’omette jamais la feuille de bilva dans le culte de Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahadeva
Significance: Highlights bilva as non-omissible (atyāvaśyaka) in Śiva-pūjā; the fixed count 108 functions as a practical vrata standard, integrating devotion with disciplined kriyā to attract anugraha.
Type: stotra
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that devotion must be both heartfelt and disciplined: sacred counts like 108 support focused bhakti, and the bilva leaf is singled out as a highly dear offering to Śiva, strengthening the devotee’s Śiva-centered intention.
It points to saguna-upāsanā—ritual worship of Śiva through the Liṅga—where specific offerings (especially bilva leaves) and prescribed numbers are used to stabilize attention and reverence toward Pati (Śiva) as the accessible, worshipful form.
Perform Śiva-pūjā with a disciplined count of 108 offerings (often aligned with mantra-japa or archana), and ensure bilva leaves are included as a principal offering rather than omitted.