Three-leaved, in the form of the three guṇas, like the three eyes and the three-pointed weapon, destroying the sins of three births — one bilva leaf I offer to Śiva.
Said while placing a bilva leaf on the liṅga. The Śiva Purāṇa praises the bilva at length (Vidyeśvara Saṃhitā, Adhyāya 22); this verse itself belongs to the later Bilvāṣṭakam.
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Original text
त्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनेत्रं च त्रियायुधम् ।
त्रिजन्मपापसंहारम् एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम् ॥
tridalaṃ triguṇākāraṃ trinetraṃ ca triyāyudham |
tri-janma-pāpa-saṃhāram eka-bilvaṃ śivārpaṇam ||
Translation
Three-leaved, in the form of the three guṇas, like the three eyes and the three-pointed weapon, destroying the sins of three births — one bilva leaf I offer to Śiva.
Translation by: Om Namah Shivay
This passage is in our collection; editorial review is still pending.
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