Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
Maha Mrityunjaya mantra is one of the most powerful and sacred mantras in the Vedic tradition. It is addressed to Shiva in his aspect as Tryambaka, the three-eyed one, and is chanted for healing, protection, longevity, and liberation from the fear of death.
This mantra is known as the “great death-conquering mantra” and is used to overcome spiritual ignorance, physical suffering, and karmic bondage. It carries the energy of renewal, guiding the practitioner toward inner freedom and peace.
English Name
English Spelling: Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
Transliteration: Oṃ Tryambakaṃ Yajāmahe
Sugandhiṃ Puṣṭivardhanam
Urvārukamiva Bandhanān
Mṛtyor Mukṣīya Mā’mṛtāt
Sanskrit Name
Sanskrit: ॐ त्र्यंबकं यजामहे
सुगंधिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्
Phonetic Spelling: Om Try-um-buh-kum Yuh-jah-mah-hay
Soo-gun-dheem Push-ti-var-dha-num
Ur-vaa-roo-kum-i-va Bun-dha-naan
Mrityor Mook-shee-yah Maam-ritaat
Translation: “We meditate on the three-eyed one, fragrant and nourishing. May he liberate us from bondage to death, like a cucumber severed from the vine.”
Mantra Breakdown
Tryambakam: The three-eyed one (Shiva)
Yajāmahe: We worship or honor
Sugandhim: Fragrant, or spiritually uplifting
Puṣṭivardhanam: Nourisher and strength-giver
Urvārukamiva: Like a ripe cucumber (detached from the vine)
Bandhanān: From bondage or attachment
Mṛtyor: From death
Mukṣīya: May I be liberated
Mā’mṛtāt: Not from immortality
This mantra speaks directly to the universal human experience of mortality, offering not just comfort but a deep affirmation of the soul’s journey beyond the body.
It is a call to remember what is eternal (amrita), and to be released from the fear and bondage of death (mrityu).
Benefits of Chanting the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
- Promotes healing on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels
- Provides protection during illness, crisis, or transition
- Supports longevity and inner peace
- Helps release attachment and fear of death
- Connects with Shiva’s power to liberate and restore
How to Chant the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
- Prepare with Intention: Sit in a quiet space
- Recite Slowly: Chant one line at a time with clarity and full breath
- Use a Mala: Repeat 3, 9, 27, or 108 times
- Feel the Vibration: Let the sound resonate in the heart and body as a prayer
- Close in Silence: After chanting, sit in stillness and absorb the resonance of the mantra
Integration of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
This mantra is especially potent for overcoming fear, uncertainty, or grief. It is often used for personal healing, for supporting loved ones, or as part of daily spiritual practice. Its power lies not in avoiding death, but in awakening to the presence that cannot die.
Methods to Integrate:
Healing Ritual: Use during times of illness or recovery for strength and peace
Ancestral Offering: Chant in honor of those who have passed to support their journey
Daily Practice: Recite each morning to invite vitality and resilience
Japa Meditation: Use silent japa (mantra repetition) to anchor the mind in spiritual steadiness
Maha Mrityunjaya is a mantra of courage, remembrance, and release. It helps us face impermanence with reverence knowing that the essence of life is beyond birth and death. Each repetition is a step closer to truth, to freedom, and to the source of all healing.
It is one of the few mantras traditionally said to conquer death by realizing the Self (atman) that was never born and never dies.
