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

ہاتھ میں نو تازہ پَلّوَوں والی بیل (بلوہ) کی شاخ لے کر اسی بیل کے نذرانے سے پوجا کرے؛ ایسا کرنے سے بھکت گناہوں سے رہائی پاتا ہے۔

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.