The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

Today I would like to share some info about the Mahamrityurnjaya Mantra.

The word mantra can be broken down into two parts: « man », which means mind, and « tra », which means transport or vehicle. Like a seed planted with the intention of blossoming into a beautiful perennial, a mantra can be thought of as a seed for energizing an intention.

Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, also known as Om Tryambakam Yajamahe Mantra, is a verse of the Rigveda (one of the four canonical sacred texts). The sacred verse also recurs in the Yajurveda. This mantra is sometimes known as Mrita-Sanjivini mantra because it is a part of the “life-restoring” mantra practice given to the primordial sage Shukra (the Sanskrit for “brightness, clearness”) after he had finished an exhausting time of severity. It is also called Rudra mantra, referring to the furious aspect of Lord Shiva (Mahadeva), and Tryambakam mantra, alluding to Lord Shiva’s three eyes. The 3rd eye (the faculty of insight and intuition) is said to be located in the space between the eyebrows and is “opened” when one experiences the spiritual awakening.(1)

Followers of Lord Shiva consider that this powerful mantra evokes the Shiva within human beings and removes the fear of death, liberating one from Samsara – the cycle of death and rebirth, hence the name “Great Death-conquering Mantra”.(1)

Along with Gayatri mantra, it holds the highest place among the many Sanskrit mantras used for meditation, contemplation, and healing. Whereas Gayatri Mantra is meant for spiritual guidance and purification, Rudra mantra is used for rejuvenation, healing, and nurturance.(1)

ॐ त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।
उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर्मुक्षीय॒ मा ऽमृता॑त् ।

oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam
urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā 'mṛtāt

Tryambakam – represents the three-eyed Lord Shiva who sees what we can see but who also sees what we can not see. 

Yajamahe – we honor, worship, adore. Sugandhim – sweet smelling, fragrant. 

Pushthi – a well-nourished condition, prosperous, thriving, the fullness of life. Reality nourishes (sustains) everything. 

Vardhanam – one who strengthens, nourishes, causes to increase (in wealth, health, well-being, wisdom, knowledge). On the spiritual path, our understanding increases day by day. 

Urvaarukamiva – like the cucumber. Here it symbolizes each of us and our relationship to existence. Bandhanaan – from captivity. 

Mrityormuksheeya – free, liberate from death, attain moksha (a blissful state of existence of a soul, completely free from the karmic bondage). 

Maamritaat – may I never again be parted from the immortality. (1)

Hari Om Tat Sat

Padmapada

🙏

(1): www.awakeningstate.com