Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55
मन्त्रसिद्धिः, प्रतिबन्धनिरासः, श्रद्धा-नियमाः
Mantra Efficacy, Removal of Obstacles, and the Role of Faith/Discipline
बिल्वपत्रैस्तु हवनं शत्रोर्विजयदं तथा । समिधः शांतिकार्येषु पालाशखदिरादिकाः
bilvapatraistu havanaṃ śatrorvijayadaṃ tathā | samidhaḥ śāṃtikāryeṣu pālāśakhadirādikāḥ
Le homa accompli avec des feuilles de bilva confère la victoire sur l’ennemi. Et pour les rites de śānti (apaisement), les samidh convenables sont celles de palāśa, de khadira, et d’autres semblables.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse teaches that Shaiva ritual acts are not random: specific sacred materials (bilva leaves, prescribed samidh woods) are chosen to harmonize the practitioner’s intention—victory over hostile forces and pacification—under Shiva’s grace, transforming conflict into dharmic order.
Bilva is a foremost offering in Saguna Shiva worship, commonly placed on the Linga; here, the same Shaiva sanctity extends into homa, indicating that offerings dear to Shiva, when made with right method, become vehicles for His anugraha (grace) in worldly and spiritual aims.
It suggests performing a Shaiva homa using bilva leaves for victory-oriented intent, and using palāśa/khadira-type samidh for śānti rites—ideally alongside Shiva-mantra japa (such as the Panchakshara) to keep the action inwardly surrendered to Pati (Shiva).