Bilva leaves are used to worship Lord Shiva and is considered to be very auspicious. This leaf is a trifoliate, meaning it is a group of 3 leaflets. The bilva leaves having 3 leaflets represents:
The Creator, The Sustainer, The Annihilator
Father, Mother and Guru
The paths of Jnana, Bhakti and Karma
Our Past, Present and Future experiences
The 3 gunas: namely Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas (3 moods of the mind)
The Waking, Dream and Deep sleep States
The powers of Knowledge, Motivation and Implementation
Ka – means bliss. The State of Bliss has no opposite. (But the opposite of Happiness is sorrow). All our realized master’s are in the State of Bliss (Ananda). Kailasa suggests that State of Bliss (Moksha Dham) . Infact, Kailasa and Shiva are one and the same. Mukti (Enlightenment) means Shiva, and Shiva Saakshaatkaara is Bliss.
Yatra [ Ya means to move, Tra ( trayate ) – means that which helps us to move beyond the ocean/clutches of sorrow/samsara]. Hence Kailasa Manasa is a yatra – a pilgrimage to be undertaken within. Manasa Sarovara ( Manasa – mind, sarovara – lake). Our mind represents a lake. When the wind hits the lake waters, waves arise. Similarly when our mind is constantly hit with the thoughts of desire, jealousy, anger .. it is always in a state of disturbance. But when the manasa sarova lake is calm with its waters absolutely still, we can see the reflection of Mount Kailash . But if the water’s are disturbed then the reflection is distorted. Similarly when our minds are absolutely peaceful, the presence of the Lord Eshwara within us is reflected in our minds. This is the State of all Realized masters who reflect the divinity of the Lord within.
