The Rule for Partaking of Shiva's Offerings, and the Glory of the Bilva Leaf

Verse 1 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । अग्राह्यं शिवनैवेद्यमिति पूर्वं श्रुतं वचः । ब्रूहि तन्निर्णयं बिल्वमाहात्म्यमपि सन्मुने ॥ 22.1 ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ agrāhyaṁ śivanaivedyamiti pūrvaṁ śrutaṁ vacaḥ brūhi tannirṇayaṁ bilvamāhātmyamapi sanmune

The sages said: We formerly heard the saying that Shiva's naivedya is 'not to be accepted' — please tell us the resolution of that, O good sage, and also the greatness of the bilva.

Verse 2 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.2)

सूत उवाच । शृणुध्वं मुनयःसर्वे सावधानतयाधुना । सर्वं वदामि सम्प्रीत्या धन्या यूयं शिवव्रताः ॥ 22.2 ॥

sūta uvāca śaṛṇudhvaṁ munayaḥsarve sāvadhānatayādhunā sarvaṁ vadāmi samprītyā dhanyā yūyaṁ śivavratāḥ

Suta said: Listen, all you sages, now with careful attention; I tell everything with pleasure — blessed are you who hold the vow of Shiva.

Verse 3 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.3)

शिवभक्तः शुचिः शुद्धः सद्व्रती दृढनिश्चयः । भक्षयेच्छिवनैवेद्यं त्यजेदग्राह्यभावनाम् ॥ 22.3 ॥

śivabhaktaḥ śuciḥ śuddhaḥ sadvratī dṛḍhaniścayaḥ bhakṣayecchivanaivedyaṁ tyajedagrāhyabhāvanām

A devotee of Shiva who is clean, pure, of good vows and firm resolve should eat Shiva's naivedya, abandoning the notion that it is 'not to be accepted'.

Verse 4 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.4)

दृष्ट्वापि शिवनैवेद्यं यान्ति पापानि दूरतः । भुक्ते तु शिवनैवेद्ये पुण्यान्यायान्ति कोटिशः ॥ 22.4 ॥

dṛṣṭvāpi śivanaivedyaṁ yānti pāpāni dūrataḥ bhukte tu śivanaivedye puṇyānyāyānti koṭiśaḥ

Merely by the sight of Shiva's naivedya, sins flee far away; and by the eating of Shiva's naivedya, merits are obtained in their crores.

Verse 5 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.5)

अलं यागसहस्रेणाप्यलं यागार्बुदैरपि । भक्षिते शिवनैवेद्ये शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ॥ 22.5 ॥

alaṁ yāgasahasreṇāpyalaṁ yāgārbudairapi bhakṣite śivanaivedye śivasāyujyamāpnuyāt

A thousand sacrifices are not enough, ten million sacrifices are not enough — by eating Shiva's naivedya, one attains union with Shiva himself.

Verse 6 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.6)

यद्गृहे शिवनैवेद्यप्रचारोऽपि प्रजायते । तद्गृहं पावनं सर्वमन्यपावनकारणम् ॥ 22.6 ॥

yadgṛhe śivanaivedyapracāro’pi prajāyate tadgṛhaṁ pāvanaṁ sarvamanyapāvanakāraṇam

The house in which even the mere presence of Shiva's naivedya occurs becomes entirely purified, and itself becomes a cause of purifying other things.

Verse 7 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.7)

आगतं शिवनैवेद्यं गृहीत्वा शिरसा मुदा । भक्षणीयं प्रयत्नेन शिवस्मरणपूर्वकम् ॥ 22.7 ॥

āgataṁ śivanaivedyaṁ gṛhītvā śirasā mudā bhakṣaṇīyaṁ prayatnena śivasmaraṇapūrvakam

Shiva's naivedya, once it has arrived, should be joyfully touched to one's head and, remembering Shiva first, should be eaten with due care.

Verse 8 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.8)

आगतं शिवनैवेद्यमन्यदा ग्राह्यमित्यपि । विलम्बे पापसम्बन्धो भवत्येव हि मानवः ॥ 22.8 ॥

āgataṁ śivanaivedyamanyadā grāhyamityapi vilambe pāpasambandho bhavatyeva hi mānavaḥ

It is also said that Shiva's naivedya, once it has arrived, should be received without delay; for delay indeed brings a person into contact with sin.

Verse 9 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.9)

न यस्य शिवनैवेद्य ग्रहणेच्छा प्रजायते । स पापिष्ठः गरिष्ठः स्यान्नरकं यात्यपि ध्रुवम् ॥ 22.9 ॥

na yasya śivanaivedya grahaṇecchā prajāyate sa pāpiṣṭhaḥ gariṣṭhaḥ syānnarakaṁ yātyapi dhruvam

One in whom no desire to receive Shiva's naivedya arises at all is exceedingly sinful, weighed down with heavy sin, and surely goes to hell.

Verse 10 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.10)

हृदये चन्द्रकान्ते च स्वर्णरूप्यादिनिर्मिते । शिवदीक्षावता भक्तेनेदं भक्ष्यमितीर्यते ॥ 22.10 ॥

hṛdaye candrakānte ca svarṇarūpyādinirmite śivadīkṣāvatā bhaktenedaṁ bhakṣyamitīryate

In the case of images of the heart-lotus, and of those made of moonstone, gold, silver and the like, for a devotee possessed of initiation into Shiva, this naivedya is declared to be edible.

Verse 11 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.11)

शिवदीक्षान्वितो भक्तो महाप्रसादसंज्ञकम् । सर्वेषामपि लिङ्गानां नैवेद्यं भक्षयेच्छुभम् ॥ 22.11 ॥

śivadīkṣānvito bhakto mahāprasādasaṁjñakam sarveṣāmapi liṅgānāṁ naivedyaṁ bhakṣayecchubham

A devotee endowed with Shiva-initiation may partake of the auspicious naivedya, called mahaprasada, belonging to all the lingas alike.

Verse 12 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.12)

अन्यदीक्षायुजां नॄणां शिवभक्तिरतात्मनाम् । शृणुध्वं निर्णयं प्रीत्या शिवनैवेद्यभक्षणे ॥ 22.12 ॥

anyadīkṣāyujāṁ nṝṇāṁ śivabhaktiratātmanām śaṛṇudhvaṁ nirṇayaṁ prītyā śivanaivedyabhakṣaṇe

For men initiated into other traditions, but whose souls are devoted to Shiva-bhakti, hear with pleasure the determination regarding the eating of Shiva's naivedya.

Verse 13 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.13)

शालग्रामोद्भवे लिङ्गे रसलिङ्गे तथा द्विजाः । पाषाणे राजते स्वर्णे सुरसिद्धप्रतिष्ठिते ॥ 22.13 ॥

śālagrāmodbhave liṅge rasaliṅge tathā dvijāḥ pāṣāṇe rājate svarṇe surasiddhapratiṣṭhite

In the case of a linga born of the Shalagrama stone, and likewise the mercury-linga, O brahmins, or one of stone, silver, or gold, established by gods or by siddhas,

Verse 14 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.14)

काश्मीरे स्फाटिके रात्ने ज्योतिर्लिङ्गेषु सर्वशः । चान्द्रायणसमं प्रोक्तं शम्भोर्नैवेद्यभक्षणम् ॥ 22.14 ॥

kāśmīre sphāṭike rātne jyotirliṅgeṣu sarvaśaḥ cāndrāyaṇasamaṁ proktaṁ śambhornaivedyabhakṣaṇam

in Kashmiri crystal, in gem-lingas, and in all the Jyotirlingas — the eating of Shambhu's naivedya is declared to carry a weight equal to the chandrayana vow.

Verse 15 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.15)

ब्रह्महापि शुचिर्भूत्वा निर्माल्यं यस्तु धारयेत् । भक्षयित्वा द्रुतं तस्य सर्वपापं प्रणश्यति ॥ 22.15 ॥

brahmahāpi śucirbhūtvā nirmālyaṁ yastu dhārayet bhakṣayitvā drutaṁ tasya sarvapāpaṁ praṇaśyati

Even one guilty of brahmin-slaying, having become pure, who wears and then eats the nirmalya offered to the deity, has all his sins swiftly destroyed.

Verse 16 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.16)

चण्डाधिकारो यत्रास्ति तद्भोक्तव्यं न मानवैः । चण्डाधिकारो नो यत्र भोक्तव्यं तच्च भक्तितः ॥ 22.16 ॥

caṇḍādhikāro yatrāsti tadbhoktavyaṁ na mānavaiḥ caṇḍādhikāro no yatra bhoktavyaṁ tacca bhaktitaḥ

Where Chanda holds authority over the offering, that naivedya should not be eaten by men; where Chanda holds no such authority, that naivedya may be eaten with devotion.

Verse 17 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.17)

बाणलिङ्गे च लौहे च सिद्धे लिङ्गे स्वयम्भुवि । प्रतिमासु च सर्वासु न चण्डोऽधिकृतो भवेत् ॥ 22.17 ॥

bāṇaliṅge ca lauhe ca siddhe liṅge svayambhuvi pratimāsu ca sarvāsu na caṇḍo’dhikṛto bhavet

In the Bana-linga, in metal lingas, in the Siddha-linga and the Svayambhu-linga, and in all consecrated images, Chanda holds no such authority.

Verse 18 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.18)

स्नापयित्वा विधानेन यो लिङ्गस्नपनोदकम् । त्रिःपिबेत्त्रिविधं पापं तस्येहाशु विनश्यति ॥ 22.18 ॥

snāpayitvā vidhānena yo liṅgasnapanodakam triḥpibettrividhaṁ pāpaṁ tasyehāśu vinaśyati

Whoever, having bathed the linga according to rule, drinks that bathing-water three times, has his threefold sin — of mind, speech and deed — swiftly destroyed here in this world.

Verse 19 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.19)

अग्राह्यं शिवनैवेद्यं पत्रं पुष्पं फलं जलम् । शालग्रामशिलासङ्गात्सर्वं याति पवित्रताम् ॥ 22.19 ॥

agrāhyaṁ śivanaivedyaṁ patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ jalam śālagrāmaśilāsaṅgātsarvaṁ yāti pavitratām

Leaf, flower, fruit, and water are ordinarily not to be taken; but through contact with the Shalagrama stone, all of these attain purity.

Verse 20 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.20)

लिङ्गोपरि च यद् द्रव्यं तदग्राह्यं मुनीश्वराः । सुपवित्रं च तज्ज्ञेयं यल्लिङ्गस्पर्शबाह्यतः ॥ 22.20 ॥

liṅgopari ca yad dravyaṁ tadagrāhyaṁ munīśvarāḥ supavitraṁ ca tajjñeyaṁ yalliṅgasparśabāhyataḥ

Whatever substance rests directly upon the linga is not to be taken, O lords of sages; and that which lies outside the linga's touch should be known as perfectly pure.

Verse 21 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.21)

नैवेद्यनिर्णयः प्रोक्त इत्थं वो मुनिसत्तमाः । शृणुध्वं बिल्वमाहात्म्यं सावधानतयादरात् ॥ 22.21 ॥

naivedyanirṇayaḥ prokta itthaṁ vo munisattamāḥ śaṛṇudhvaṁ bilvamāhātmyaṁ sāvadhānatayādarāt

Thus, O best of sages, has this determination regarding naivedya been declared to you; now listen with care and reverence to the greatness of the bilva.

Verse 22 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.22)

महादेवस्वरूपोऽयं बिल्वो देवैरपि स्तुतः । यथाकथञ्चिदेतस्य महिमा ज्ञायते कथम् ॥ 22.22 ॥

mahādevasvarūpo’yaṁ bilvo devairapi stutaḥ yathākathañcidetasya mahimā jñāyate katham

This bilva tree is the very form of Mahadeva, praised even by the gods; how, by any means, could its greatness ever be fully known?

Verse 23 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.23)

पुण्यतीर्थानि यावन्ति लोकेषु प्रथितान्यपि । तानि सर्वाणि तीर्थानि बिल्वमूले वसन्ति हि ॥ 22.23 ॥

puṇyatīrthāni yāvanti lokeṣu prathitānyapi tāni sarvāṇi tīrthāni bilvamūle vasanti hi

As many sacred tirthas as are renowned throughout the worlds, all those tirthas dwell at the root of the bilva.

Verse 24 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.24)

बिल्वमूले महादेवं लिङ्गरूपिणमव्ययम् । यः पूजयति पुण्यात्मा स शिवं प्राप्नुयाद् ध्रुवम् ॥ 22.24 ॥

bilvamūle mahādevaṁ liṅgarūpiṇamavyayam yaḥ pūjayati puṇyātmā sa śivaṁ prāpnuyād dhruvam

Whoever, of pure soul, worships imperishable Mahadeva in the form of the linga at the root of the bilva, surely attains Shiva.

Verse 25 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.25)

बिल्वमूले जलैर्यस्तु मूर्धानमभिषिञ्चति । स सर्वतीर्थस्नातः स्यात्स एव भुवि पावनः ॥ 22.25 ॥

bilvamūle jalairyastu mūrdhānamabhiṣiñcati sa sarvatīrthasnātaḥ syātsa eva bhuvi pāvanaḥ

Whoever bathes the head [of Shiva] with water at the root of the bilva has as good as bathed in all the sacred waters — he alone is the true purifier on this earth.

Verse 26 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.26)

एतस्य बिल्वमूलस्याथालवालमनुत्तमम् । जलाकुलं महादेवो दृष्ट्वा तुष्टो भवत्यलम् ॥ 22.26 ॥

etasya bilvamūlasyāthālavālamanuttamam jalākulaṁ mahādevo dṛṣṭvā tuṣṭo bhavatyalam

Having seen the excellent watering-basin at the root of this very bilva filled with water, Mahadeva becomes exceedingly pleased.

Verse 27 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.27)

पूजयेद् बिल्वमूलं यो गन्धपुष्पादिभिर्नरः । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति सन्ततिर्वर्धते सुखम् ॥ 22.27 ॥

pūjayed bilvamūlaṁ yo gandhapuṣpādibhirnaraḥ śivalokamavāpnoti santatirvardhate sukham

Whoever worships the root of the bilva with fragrant paste, flowers and the like attains the world of Shiva, and his lineage flourishes in happiness.

Verse 28 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.28)

बिल्वमूले दीपमालां यः कल्पयति सादरम् । स तत्त्वज्ञानसम्पन्नो महेशान्तर्गतो भवेत् ॥ 22.28 ॥

bilvamūle dīpamālāṁ yaḥ kalpayati sādaram sa tattvajñānasampanno maheśāntargato bhavet

Whoever devotedly arranges a row of lamps at the root of the bilva becomes endowed with true knowledge and enters into the very being of Mahesha.

Verse 29 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.29)

बिल्वशाखां समादाय हस्तेन नवपल्लवम् । गृहीत्वा पूजयेद् बिल्वं स च पापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ 22.29 ॥

bilvaśākhāṁ samādāya hastena navapallavam gṛhītvā pūjayed bilvaṁ sa ca pāpaiḥ pramucyate

Whoever, taking in hand a branch of the bilva with a fresh new sprout, worships the bilva with it, is freed from his sins.

Verse 30 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.30)

बिल्वमूले शिवरतं भोजयेद्यस्तु भक्तितः । एकं वा कोटिगुणितं तस्य पुण्यं प्रजायते ॥ 22.30 ॥

bilvamūle śivarataṁ bhojayedyastu bhaktitaḥ ekaṁ vā koṭiguṇitaṁ tasya puṇyaṁ prajāyate

Whoever, at the root of the bilva, devotedly feeds even a single devotee of Shiva, his merit becomes multiplied a crore-fold.

Verse 31 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.31)

बिल्वमूले क्षीरयुक्तमन्नमाज्येन संयुतम् । यो दद्याच्छिवभक्ताय स दरिद्रो न जायते ॥ 22.31 ॥

bilvamūle kṣīrayuktamannamājyena saṁyutam yo dadyācchivabhaktāya sa daridro na jāyate

Whoever, at the root of the bilva, gives food mixed with milk together with ghee to a devotee of Shiva, never becomes poor.

Verse 32 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.32)

साङ्गोपाङ्गमिति प्रोक्तं शिवलिङ्गप्रपूजनम् । प्रवृत्तानां निवृत्तानां भेदतो द्विविधं द्विजाः ॥ 22.32 ॥

sāṅgopāṅgamiti proktaṁ śivaliṅgaprapūjanam pravṛttānāṁ nivṛttānāṁ bhedato dvividhaṁ dvijāḥ

Thus has the complete worship of the Shiva-linga, with all its parts and accessories, been declared; O brahmins, it is of two kinds, by the distinction between those still engaged in worldly life and those who have withdrawn from it.

Verse 33 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.33)

प्रवृत्तानां पीठपूजा सर्वाभीष्टप्रदा भुवि । पात्रेणैव प्रवृत्तस्तु सर्वपूजां समाचरेत् ॥ 22.33 ॥

pravṛttānāṁ pīṭhapūjā sarvābhīṣṭapradā bhuvi pātreṇaiva pravṛttastu sarvapūjāṁ samācaret

For those engaged in worldly life, worship of the pedestal bestows every desired thing on earth; the one so engaged should perform the whole worship using only a vessel.

Verse 34 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.34)

नैवेद्यमभिषेकान्ते शाल्यन्नेन समाचरेत् । पूजान्ते स्थापयेल्लिङ्गं पुटे शुद्धे पृथग्गृहे ॥ 22.34 ॥

naivedyamabhiṣekānte śālyannena samācaret pūjānte sthāpayelliṅgaṁ puṭe śuddhe pṛthaggṛhe

At the end of the ablution, one should offer naivedya of fine rice; at the end of worship, one should place the linga in a pure case, in a separate dwelling.

Verse 35 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.35)

करपूजानिवृत्तानां स्वभोज्यं तु निवेदयेत् । निवृत्तानां परं सूक्ष्मं लिङ्गमेव विशिष्यते ॥ 22.35 ॥

karapūjānivṛttānāṁ svabhojyaṁ tu nivedayet nivṛttānāṁ paraṁ sūkṣmaṁ liṅgameva viśiṣyate

For those who have ceased hand-worship, one should offer one's own food as the naivedya; for those who have withdrawn, the subtle linga alone is preferred.

Verse 36 (shiva.vidyeshvara.22.36)

विभूत्यभ्यर्चनं कुर्याद्विभूतिं च निवेदयेत् । पूजां कृत्वा तथा लिङ्गं शिरसा धारयेत्सदा ॥ 22.36 ॥

vibhūtyabhyarcanaṁ kuryādvibhūtiṁ ca nivedayet pūjāṁ kṛtvā tathā liṅgaṁ śirasā dhārayetsadā

One should worship with sacred ash and offer sacred ash itself as the naivedya; and having thus performed the worship, one should always wear that ash upon the head.