महामृत्युंजय मन्त्र
The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
Its name means the great prayer that conquers death. People say it when someone they love is sick, before a journey, or when they feel afraid. It is a prayer for health, for courage, and for peace with whatever happens.
Listen and chant along
Close your eyes and let the sound carry you.
Recording by afleetingspeck, CC0 (public domain) (source). The tanpura is played live, tuned to the chanter's voice.
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहेOṁ tryambakaṁ yajāmahe
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।sugandhiṁ puṣṭi-vardhanam
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्urvārukam iva bandhanān
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt
Word by word
- tryambakam
- the three-eyed one: Shiva
- yajāmahe
- we worship
- sugandhim
- fragrant, full of goodness
- puṣṭi-vardhanam
- who helps all life grow strong
- urvārukam iva
- like a ripe cucumber
- bandhanāt
- from its vine
- mṛtyoḥ
- from death
- mukṣīya
- may I be set free
- mā amṛtāt
- but never from the life that does not die
What it means
We worship Shiva, the three-eyed one, who is full of goodness and helps all life grow. A ripe cucumber comes away from its vine gently, without being torn. In the same way, may we be set free from death and fear, and never be parted from the life that does not die.
From The Rig Veda. “Om” is added at the start when it is chanted..
How to say it
Sit quietly and think of the person you are praying for, or of what you are afraid of. Say the mantra slowly, or in your mind. Let each repetition feel like handing a little of the worry to God.
Count as you go
Say the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra once, then tap. A mala has 108 beads.