bilvapatra or the Bel leaves

Bilvapatra (Bel leaves)

Bilvapatra contains 2% Shiva tatva. 

By offering bilvapatra to the Shivpindi on Mahashivratri, 

the manifest Shiva tatva near the stalk of 

the bilvapatra gets activated.

 Due to this, waves of chaitanya as well as Shiva tatva

 are emitted by the bilvapatra. 

The bilvapatra

 attracts 20% of the Shiva tatva present in

 the Shivpindi towards itself.

 By immersing this bilvapatra 

in water or by placing it in grains,

 the Shiva tatva present in the bilvapatra is transmitted to them.

 The Shiva tatva in the bilvapatra 

is activated to a larger extent on Mondays 

when it transmits 10% of the Shiva tatva and sattvikta.

 On other days only 1% of the Shiva tatva

 is activated in the bilvapatra.

Bilvarchan

Offering bilvapatra 

to the Shivpindi and chanting the mantra 

'Om Namah Shivaya' 

with each offering is known as bilvarchan. 

Continue offering the bilvapatra until the pindi

 is completely covered. 

Offer the bilvapatra from the lower part of the pindi. 

By starting from the feet of the idol, 

more benefit is derived and the idol 

can be covered completely.

Chanting on Mahashivratri 

'Om Namah Shivaya'

Om represents an unmanifest state beyond

 the 3 gunas (elements of sattva, raja & tama). 

We bow to Lord Shiva, from whom Om was created.