Meaning of Maharityunjaya Mantra

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Meaning of MAHAMRITYUNJAYA MANTRA

 

 

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).

 

BANDANAAM: 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.

 

 

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