Knowledge Behind Bivashtakam - A Powerful Shiva Sthothram

There was a hunter by name Suswara, who used to hunt many animals and birds in the forest. This was his life style for everyday. He was born at VARANASI. One day he was chased by a hungry lion. The hunter unknowingly climbed a Bilva tree to save himself from the lion. He then had to wait the whole night to save himself from the Lion. Since he had to stay awake to avoid falling from the tree, the hunter kept plucking the leaves of the Bilva tree and dropping them below. The leaves fell on the Shiva Linga that happened to be located under the tree. Shiva was pleased by the offering of the Bilva leaves by the hunter, although unintentionally, and saved the hunter in spite of all the sin the hunter had committed by killing. This story emphasizes the auspiciousness of worshipping Shiva with Bilva leaves on Shivaratri.

The story above is an Parable or we may say as an allegory. Just as the hunter sought to kill wild animals, the spiritual seeker tries to transcend lust, anger, greed, infatuation, jealousy and hatred. The jungle mentioned denotes the mind where all these negativities roam about. A spiritual aspirant must kill these so referred "animals" to be free.

The name of the hunter - Suswara, itself has a hidden indication which means "one of melodious voice." Melody here indicates speech, with a level of mental purity.


Further to the above, as we knew that the hunter was born in Varanasi. Vara refers to the forehead while nasi is the nose. The point where both meet is Varanasi, in other words, the point midway between the eyebrows. This point is also called the ajna chakra and is regarded as a nexus of the three nadis: ida, pingala and sushumna. Gain of the energy at this level, A spiritual aspirant in his or her mind gains good concentration and gradual control over his senses. The killing of the animals thus indicates highest control over one's vasanas [latent tendencies].

The bilva tree corresponds to the spinal column. The tree's leaves are special: each stalk has three leaflets. The three leaflets represent the three nadis mentioned above. The climbing of the tree represents the ascent of the kundalini shakti (Maharishi Says that even without the knowing of the kundalini rising, the TM Siddhi meditator awakens the kundalini shakthi from the muladhara to the ajna chakra).

Keeping awake is symbolic of the kind of awareness and oneness of purpose that a spiritual aspirant needs to reach the goal. He cannot afford to be slack even for a moment.

Shiva is the Supreme Consciousness that illuminates the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep. Offering the threefold bilva leaves to the Shivalinga heralds the return to a level of consciousness beyond the three states, which is the fourth state, Transcendental State. The dawning of this state reflects the awakening of the individual to CC, GC and UC.