Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
Verse and mantra of the Ṛgveda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (Sanskrit: महामृत्युञ्जयमन्त्र, romanized: mahāmṛtyuñjayamantra, lit. 'great death-conquering mantra'), also known as the Rudra Mantra or Tryambakam Mantra, is a ṛc (verse) of the Ṛgveda (RV 7.59.12) addressed to Tryambaka, 'the three-eyed one', an epithet of Rudra, who is identified with Śiva in Shaivism. It also recurs in the Yajurveda (Taittirīya Saṃhitā 1.8.6.i;[1][2][3] Vājasaneyi Mādhyandina 3.60[4]).
The mantra
The mantra, as it appears in the Ṛgveda, reads:
|
Devanagari त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् । उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान्मृ॒त्योर्मु॑क्षीय॒ मामृता॑त् ॥[5] |
IAST tryàmbakaṃ yajāmahe sugándhiṃ puṣṭivárdhanam. |
Translation by Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton as:[6] We sacrifice to Tryambaka the fragrant, increaser of prosperity. |
Origin
In the Ṛgveda, the verse is found in sūkta (hymn) LIX of maṇḍala (book) VII, a composite hymn attributed to Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi. The final four verses of the hymn, which include the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, are late additions to the text. These verses relate to the sākamedha, the final ritual of the cāturmāsya (four-monthly) sacrifices. The sākamedha concludes with an oblation to Rudra Tryambaka, providing the liturgical context for the verse.[7]
Significance
Within Hindu traditions, the mantra is recited for longevity and immortality, and mental, emotional, and physical health.[8] It is categorized as a mokṣamantra (mantra for liberation), and is chanted during the application of vibhūti (sacred ash), during japa (meditative repetition), or within homa (votive rituals).