Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (Sanskrit: महामृत्युंजयमंत्र, महामृत्युञ्जयमन्त्र, romanized: mahāmṛtyuṃjaya-mantra, mahāmṛtyuñjaya-mantra, lit. 'Great death-defeating mantra'), also known as the Rudra Mantra or Tryambakam Mantra, is a verse (ṛc) of the Rigveda (RV 7.59.12). The ṛc is addressed to Tryambaka, "The Three-eyed One", an epithet of Rudra who is identified with Shiva in Shaivism. The verse also recurs in the Yajurveda (TS 1.8.6;^[1][2][3] VS 3.60^[4]).

The mantra

Recitation of the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra reads:

ॐ त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।
उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान्मृ॒त्योर्मु॑क्षीय॒ माऽमृता॑॑त् ।।^[5]

oṃ tryàmbakaṃ yajāmahe sugándhiṃ puṣṭi-várdhanam ।
urvārukám iva bándhanān mṛtyór mukṣīya mā́ 'mṛ́tāt ।।

Translation by Jamison and Brereton:^[6]

"We sacrifice to Tryambaka the fragrant, increaser of prosperity.
Like a cucumber from its stem, might I be freed from death, not from deathlessness."

Origin

The mantra first appears in Rigveda 7.59.12, which is a composite hymn attributed to Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi. The last four verses (in which the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra is found) are late additions to the hymn, and they make references to the Sākamedha, the last of the four-monthly rituals. The Sākamedha ends with an oblation to Rudra Tryambaka, which is why the last verse of the four is addressed to Tryambaka.^[7]

Significance

Hindus believe the mantra is beneficial for mental, emotional, and physical health and consider it a moksha mantra which bestows longevity and immortality.^[8]

It is chanted while smearing vibhuti over various parts of the body and utilised in japa (mantra repetition) or homa (religious offering ceremony).

See also

• Shri Rudram Chamakam
• Om Namah Shivaya
• Shanti Mantras
• Shiva
• Om
• Vibhuti