महामृत्युंजय मंत्र
Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
The Tryambaka mantra, a Vedic prayer to Lord Shiva
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्।
Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam.
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्॥
Urvarukam iva bandhanan mrityor mukshiya mamritat.
When it is sung or recited
When it is recited: Many families recite it on Mondays, on Pradosh evenings and on Maha Shivaratri. Some also chant it as a prayer for a family member who is unwell or going through a hard time. It is a devotional practice, not a substitute for medical care.
Repetitions: 108 times (one mala); 3, 11, 21 or 31 times is also common
Meaning
Mahamrityunjaya means the great conqueror of death. The first line says: we worship Tryambaka, the three-eyed Lord Shiva, who is fragrant and who increases nourishment and well-being. The second line gives an image: as a ripe cucumber is released from its stem without effort, may we be freed from the bond of death, but not cut off from immortality. Traditionally it is understood as a prayer for freedom from the fear of death and from attachment, and for closeness to what is eternal.
Please note
From the Rigveda (7.59.12). The same verse also appears in the Yajurveda (Taittiriya Samhita 1.8.6 and Vajasaneyi Samhita 3.60). It is also called the Tryambaka mantra and the Rudra mantra. Some traditions recite a longer form with seed (beej) syllables; this page gives the plain Vedic verse with Om. The last word is written both as mamritat and as ma 'mritat.
Text compared with: en.wikipedia.org, wisdomlib.org, shlokam.org, shubhpanchang.com. A comparison with printed editions is still in progress. Wording differs between sources, so follow your priest’s version.