Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

Maha Mrityunjay Mantra to escape death and extreme illness

The maha mrityunjay mantra is a maha mantra which is considered a boon to escape death and extreme illness. Maha mrityunjay mantra literally means ‘Great death conquering mantra’. The mantra is addressed to tryambka i.e. the third eye one, Rudra (furious and most destructive avtar of Lord Shiva) and that is the reason this mantra is also known as Tryambka or Rudra mantra. The mantra finds its place in three Vedas namely, Rig-Veda, Yajur-veda and Atharva-veda.

The mantra is also mentioned in Shiva Purana. According to the Hindu mythology, Rishi Markendya was the only one who knew this mantra. Moon was once in trouble when cursed by King Daksha. Rishi Markendya then gave the mantra to Sati, daughter of King Daksha and consort of Lord Shiva, in order to revive moon to life. This mantra is also known as the ‘reviver of the dead’ as life restoring practice is one of the components of this mantra.

Maha Mrityunjay Mantra is considered extremely beneficial for mental, emotional and physical health as it bestows longetivity and immortality powers to the essayer. This mantra addresses Lord Shiva to ward off untimely death. Those who are in extreme illness and are consuming medicines are advised to arrange for the Maha Mrityunjay Mantra to be chanted by themselves, their relatives or any well versed purohit to ward off the evil eye and get restored to good health as soon as possible.

MAHA MRITYUNJAY MANTRA:

|| Om Trayambakam Yajamahe, Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam,
Urvarukmiv Bandhanaan, Mrityurmokshaya Mamritat ||

|| ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ||

|| WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS MAHAMANTRA ||

It is important to understand the meaning of the words as this makes the repetition meaningful and brings forth the results.

OM is not spelt out in the Rig-Veda, but has to be added to the beginning of all Mantras as given in an earlier Mantra of the Rig-Veda addressed to Ganapati.

TRYAMBAKKAM refers to the Three eyes of Lord Shiva. 'Trya' means 'Three' and Ambakam' means eyes. These three eyes or sources of enlightenment are the Trimurti or three primary deities, namely Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and the three 'AMBA' (also meaning Mother or Shakti' are Saraswati, Lakshmi and Gouri. Thus in this word, we are referring to God as Omniscient (Brahma), Omnipresent (Vishnu) and Omnipotent (Shiva). This is the wisdom of Brihaspati and is referred to as Sri Duttatreya having three heads of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

YAJAMAHE: Means, "We sing Thy praise".

SUGANDHIM: Refers to His fragrance (of knowledge, presence and strength i.e. three aspects) as being the best and always spreading around. Fragrance refers to the joy that we get on knowing, seeing or feeling His virtuous deeds.

PUSTIVARDHANAM: Pooshan refers to Him as the sustainer of this world and in this manner, He is the Father (Pater) of all. Pooshan is also the inner impeller of all knowledge and is thus Savitur or the Sun and also symbolises Brahma the Omniscient Creator. In this manner He is also the Father (Genitor) of all.

URVAAROKAMEVA: 'URVA' means "VISHAL" or big and powerful . 'AAROOKAM' means 'Disease'. Thus URVAROOKA means deadly and overpowering diseases. The diseases are also of three kinds caused by the influence (in the negative) of the three Guna's and are ignorance (Avidya etc),falsehood (Asat etc as even though Vishnu is everywhere, we fail to perceive Him and are guided by our sight and other senses) and weaknesses (Shadripu etc. a constraint of this physical body and Shiva is all powerful).

BANDANAAN: Means bound down. Thus read with URVAROOKAMEVA, it means 'I am bound down by deadly and overpowering diseases'.

MRITYORMOOKSHEYA: Means to deliver us from death (both premature deaths in this Physical world and from the never-ending cycle of deaths due to re-birth) for the sake of Mokshya (Nirvana or final emancipation from re-birth). MAAMRITAAT means 'please give me some Amritam (life rejuvenating nectar). Read with the previous word, it means that we are praying for some 'Amrit' to get out of the death inflicting diseases as well as the cycle of re-birth.