Shloka 30

Śiva-Naivedya-Grāhyatā-Nirṇayaḥ

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

Devanagari script

बिल्वमूले शिवरतं भोजयेद्यस्तु भक्तितः । एकं वा कोटिगुणितं तस्य पुण्यं प्रजायते

Transliteration

bilvamūle śivarataṃ bhojayedyastu bhaktitaḥ | ekaṃ vā koṭiguṇitaṃ tasya puṇyaṃ prajāyate

Translation

ഭക്തിയോടെ ബിൽവവൃക്ഷത്തിന്റെ മൂലത്തിൽ ശിവനിഷ്ഠനായ ഭക്തനെ ആഹാരം കൊടുക്കുന്നവൻ—ഒരിക്കൽ മാത്രമായാലും—കോടിഗുണിത പുണ്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• बिल्वमूले: at the root of the bilva tree
• बिल्वमूले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व-मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बिल्वस्य मूलम्)

• शिवरतम्: one devoted to Śiva
• शिवरतम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव-रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (शिवे रतः)

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजयति]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचकः (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/निपात)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: हेतु (Hetu/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (ablative of cause: 'from/through devotion')

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; 'पुण्यम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• कोटिगुणितम्: multiplied by a crore
• कोटिगुणितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि-गुणित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कोट्या गुणितम् = multiplied by a crore)

• तस्य: of him/of that (person)
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रजायते: arises/is produced
• प्रजायते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bilva (sacred tree)

FAQs

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

It teaches that bhakti expressed as seva—feeding a Shiva-devotee in a sacred Shiva-associated space (the bilva tree)—creates immense punya, because honoring the devotee is honoring Shiva (Pati) who dwells in and through His worship.

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

The bilva tree is a classic Saguna symbol in Shiva-puja; serving Shiva’s devotee at the bilva’s foot is treated as an extension of Linga-worship—external worship culminating in compassionate action aligned with Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform annadāna (offering food) with devotion to a Shiva-bhakta near a bilva tree, ideally alongside simple Shiva-puja such as offering bilva leaves and japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).