Shiva
Mahamrityunjaya mantra
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Oṁ tryambakaṁ yajāmahe sugandhiṁ puṣṭi-vardhanam, urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt
Simple reading: Om tra-yam-ba-kam ya-jaa-ma-he, su-gan-dhim push-ti var-dha-nam, ur-vaa-ru-kam i-va ban-dha-naan, mrit-yor muk-shee-ya maam-ri-taat
About this mantra
The great death-conquering mantra of Shiva as Tryambaka, the three-eyed one — chanted for healing, protection, and fearlessness in difficult times.
Meaning
We worship the three-eyed one, fragrant, nourisher of all. As the ripe cucumber is released from its vine, may I be freed from death — not from immortality. The image carries the whole teaching: the fruit does not tear itself from the vine; it ripens until release is effortless. So the prayer is not to escape dying but to be so fully ripened that death loses its grip — while the bond with the deathless is never cut.
When to recite it
The mantra of hard passages — illness in the family, the morning of a surgery, long recovery, fear of death, and memorial days; counted 108 times, often at dawn, and through Sawan and Shivratri. Many recite it on another's behalf, holding their name inwardly.
Word by word
- त्र्यम्बकंtryambakaṁ
- the three-eyed one (Shiva)
- यजामहेyajāmahe
- we worship, we honour
- सुगन्धिंsugandhiṁ
- fragrant, of sweet presence
- पुष्टिवर्धनम्puṣṭi-vardhanam
- who nourishes and makes flourish
- उर्वारुकमिवurvārukam iva
- like the ripe cucumber (from the vine)
- बन्धनात्bandhanāt
- from bondage
- मृत्योःmṛtyoḥ
- from death
- मुक्षीयmukṣīya
- may I be freed
- मामृतात्mā amṛtāt
- but not from immortality
Source: Ṛgveda 7.59.12