Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिंम् पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ।।

oṁ tryambakaṁ yajāmahe sugandhiṁ puṣṭi-vardhanam ǀ
urvārukam-iva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya māmṛtāt ǁ

Simple Translation

OM. We worship the Three-eyed Lord who is fragrant and who nourishes and nurtures all beings. As is the ripened cucumber (with the intervention of the gardener) is freed from its bondage (to the creeper), may he liberate us from death for the sake of immortality.

Literal Meaning of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

Word-by-word meaning of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra:-

• ॐ oṁ = is a sacred/mystical syllable in Sanatan Dharma or hindu religions, i.e. Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism.
• त्र्यम्बकम् tryambakam = the three-eyed one (accusative case),

त्रि + अम्बकम् = tri + ambakam = three + eye

• यजामहे yajāmahe = We worship, adore, honour, revere,
• सुगन्धिम् sugandhim = sweet smelling, fragrant (accusative case),
• पुष्टि puṣṭi = A well-nourished condition, thriving, prosperous, fullness of life,
• वर्धनम् vardhanam = One who nourishes, strengthens, causes to increase (in health, wealth, well-being); who gladdens, exhilarates, and restores health; a good gardener,

पुष्टि-वर्धनम् = puṣṭi+vardhanam = पुष्टि: वर्धते अनेन तत् = puṣṭiḥ vardhate anena tat (samas)= The one who nourishes someone else and gives his life fullness.

• उर्वारुकमिव urvārukamiva = like the cucumber or melon (in the accusative case),

Note: Some people have decomposed the compound urvārukam in this way: 'urva' means "vishal" or big and powerful or deadly; 'arukam' means 'disease'. But urva (उर्वा) does not mean 'vishal' in Sanskrit; rather it is cognate with the Hindi word oorva (ऊर्वा); so this translation is not correct.

• बन्धनान् bandhanān = "from captivity" {i.e. from the stem of the cucumber} (of the gourd); (the ending is actually long a, then -t, which changes to n/anusvara because of sandhi)

Note: bandhanān means bound down. Thus, read with urvārukam iva, it means 'I am bound down just like a cucumber (to a vine)'.

• मृत्योर्मुक्षीय mṛtyormukṣīya = Free, liberate From death

मृत्यु: + मुक्षीय = mṛtyuḥ + mukṣīya= from death + free (Vedic usage)

• मा ∫ मृतात् mā ∫ mṛtāt = (give) me immortality, emancipation

Note: Here are two possible combinations

1) मा + अमृतात् = mā + amṛtāt = not + immortality, nectar

Translation would be: (Free me from death but) not from immortality.

2) मा (माम) + अमृतात् = mā (short form of mām) + amṛtāt = myself + sure, definitely

Translation would be: Free me from certain death.