Mrityunjaya Mantra - Victory over Death

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Mrityunjaya Mantra- Victory over Death

(Also called- Mahamoksha Mantra, Great Enlightenment)

 

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe

Sugandhim Pushthi Vardhanam

UrvaRukamiva Bandhanat

Mrytyor Muksheeya Mamritat ||

 

Mrityunjaya (Bija) mantra The Bija mantra is given by Kahola

Rishi; The mantra is in Gayatri channdah; The mantra Devata (deity)

is Sri Mrityunjaya (form of Shiva). This mantra is to be used for

meditation and at all times for protection from all evils.

 

Introduction Mantras are prayers in the form of sound

vibrations that calm the mind. The worrying mind can cause all sorts

of physical illness. When the vibrations of the Mantras silence

worries, the mind becomes happy and peaceful. When the mind is

healthy, the body is healthy. It has been scientifically proven that

sound vibrations bring soothing effects to anyone with mental

afflictions.

 

Mantras are prayers, which invoke the presiding deity whose grace

brings health and healing. The grace of the deities removes obstacles

caused by the planets or our past karma. Mantra healing is infallible

in its result. All that is needed is faith. The more concentration

and surrender, the quicker the mantra works.

 

The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is the great life giving Mantra that has

been chanted since time immemorial. It is a hymn praising Lord Shiva

and is His most beloved mantra. This mantra has exceptional healing

powers, is capable of warding off negative influences and granting

peace and prosperity. The vibrations of the Mrityunjaya Mantra

strengthen the aura and heal both the mental and physical bodies.

Negative emotions and qualities such as anger, grief, depression,

mental agitation, attachment and greed, all are alleviated through

the chanting of this Mantra. As the Mantra of Lord Shiva, the Maha

Mrityunjaya Mantra also opens the third eye, the subtle center of

Divine Wisdom and Knowledge. There was a sage called Mrikandu.

He and his wife propitiated Lord Shiva through severe penance. Lord

Shiva was pleased with them and blessed them with a boon,

saying, " Either you shall have a divine son who will live only for

sixteen years or a bad son who will live for one hundred years.

Choose what you want. "

 

Sage Mrikandu and his wife prayed for the good son, even though short

lived. Shiva blessed them with a good son whom they named Markandeya.

When Markandeya was eight years of age, he knew all the holy

scriptures, and all that is to be known for self realization by the

direct instruction of his sagely father. His parents never revealed

to him that his life was going to come to an end at the age of

sixteen, but they asked him to do the worship of Lord Shiva

regularly.

 

On the last day of the sixteenth year Yama, the God of death,

appeared to him and threw his noose to the nose of Markandeya, while

he was sitting for the worship of Lord Shiva. His breath was

disturbed as Yama began pulling his soul out of his body. With great

devotion, Markandeya embraced the holy Shivalinga and burst into a

great Mantra known as the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra.

 

A Shivalinga is a powerful meditation and ritual tool. This is an

ancient sacred symbol for the creative and powerful energies of the

divine and is a potent form of Lord Shiva.

 

Mrityunjaya means Victory over death. Maha means great. Maha

Mrityunjaya Mantra means " the great Mantra of victory over death " .

When Markandeya uttered the Mrityunjaya Mantra, Lord Shiva appeared

through the Shivalinga and drove away Yama, the God of death and

blessed Markandeya to become the ever-living master of the

Himalayas.

 

There are many mantras for warding off evils like death and other

suffering given in the sacred literature of the Hindu's. These mantra

are of various types but the Mrityunjaya mantra has been extolled in

sacred literature as being the best. This mantra is addressed to Lord

Shiva and is taught in the Rig Veda (7 mandala 59 Chapter) as well as

the Yajur Veda (3-60) showing that it is a Sruti having been received

by Maharishi Vasistha, the Kula Guru of Bhagawan Sri Ramachandra.

 

This Maha-mrityunjaya mantra is from the Rig-Veda (7th Book or

Mandala, 59 Chapter) and needs initiation for attaining siddhi.

Anybody can recite this mantra and attain good health, release from

bondage and other problems. This is the greatest panacea for all

evils and can be recited at any time like any other Maha-mantra.

 

Rishi-adi Nyasa The preparatory rites should be learnt from any

book on Karma-kanda (pooja method). However we give the simplest

method of reciting this mantra to overcome the greatest of evils.

Nyasa is the method of protecting the self by placing the parts of

the mantra on five body parts. These body parts are the crucial

centers for the spiritual energy.

 

Rishi (Guru/teacher of the mantra) - siras (head). In this case

the Rishi is Maharishi Vasistha.

 

·Channdah (meter, which is technically very specific for each

mantra) - mukha (mouth). This vedic mantra is in Anusthub channdah.

This is a meter having four pada (feet) of 8 phonemes each making the

entire Anusthub metre as composed of 32 (8 x 4 = 32) syllables. It

maybe noted that any change in the metre shall cause a distortion in

the channdah and the mantra vibration shall be ruined.

 

Devata (the deity of the mantra) - hridaya (heart). In this case

the devata is Lord Shiva addressed as " Sri Mrityunjaya Tryambakeswara

devata " , the Jyotirlinga.

 

Bija (the seed syllable that created the mantra and contains the

mantra within itself, like the seed that creates the tree) - Liinga

(sexual organ). There are some opinion on this, but the most

appropriate one is given by Kahola Rishi as " haum " .

 

Shakti (the physical power of the mantra like the mother) - pada

(feet). It is the giver of gati or direction. In this case the shakti

is Devi Amriteswari, addressed as 'hriim'.

 

Sukracharya's Penance & teaching Jyotish teaching The

Mahamrityunjaya mantra was taught by Lord Shiva to Sukracharya the

preceptor of the demons after he succeeded in the impossible test of

hanging upside down from a tree for twenty years (Vimsottari dasa

period) with smoke blowing into him from a fire lit beneath. Even

Brihaspati was shocked at the prospect of such a terrible penance and

calmly settled to observe Sukracharya accept the challenge of Indra

and succeed.

 

Tapaswi Yoga definition: Since Sukracharya (Venus in astrology)

passed the penance he was glorified as the Tapaswi Raja (the king of

the spiritual discipline and penance). The definition of Tapaswi Yoga

comes from this penance as Saturn (punishment, hard toil), Ketu

(smoke blown into the nose and other forms of self inflicted torture)

and Venus (desire and its renunciation) must come together to define

the personal ability of the Tapaswi.

 

After the penance Lord Shiva taught the Mahamrityunjaya mantra to

Sukracharya, who under very compelling circumstances had to teach

this to the son of Brihaspati and that is how the devas also got the

mantra. This mantra was given (sruti) to Vasistha Maharishi for the

welfare of this world. The mantra and explanation given by

Sukracharya to Rishi Dadhicha when the latter's body was cut and

thrown by Raja Kshuva is recorded in the Shiva Purana.

 

Sukracharya said " O! Dadhicha, I pray to Lord Shiva and give you

the upadesa (advise/wisdom/teaching) of the highest Maha Mrityunjaya

mantra. " The mantra is in Anusthub Channdah and accordingly, is

divided into four padas composed of eight syllables each.

 

Sukracharya said, " The first pada is and means - we worship or sing

the praise of Lord Trayambaka. Tryambaka is the name of Lord Shiva as

the father of the three worlds - bhu, bhuva and svarga lokas. He is

the father and lord of the three mandala's - Surya, Soma and Agni

mandala. He is Maheswara, the lord of the three Guna's - Satva, Rajas

and Tamas. He is the Sadashiva, the teacher of the three tatvas -

Atma tatva, Vidya tatva and Shiva tatva. He is the father (cause and

source) of the three energies (agni) - Aavahaniya, Garhapatya and

Dakshinagni. He is the father of all physical creation through the

three-murti bhuta - Prithvi (solid), Jala (liquid) and Tejas or agni

(energy). He is the lord of the three heavens created by the

dominance of the three Gunas - Rajas (Brahma), Satva (Vishnu) and

Tamas (Shiva). Know Him to be the nirakara (formless) Sadashiva as He

is above this physical mode and is their Maheswara. This is the first

foot of the mantra (composed of eight syllables). "

 

" The second pada of the mantra, " continued Sukracharya, " is

Sugandhim refers to the fragrance of the flower that spreads in all

directions, and in a similar way Shiva is present in the entire

creation, both animate and inanimate. In all the bhutas (modes of

existence), in the three Gunas (nature of creation as being Satva,

Rajas or Tamas), in the ten indriyas (five gyana-indriyas or senses

and five karma-indriyas or organs of action), in all the devas (33

devas are the source of all illumination and enlightenment) and the

ganas (hosts of demi-gods), Shiva exists and pervades as the

illumine atma (soul) and is their essence. Pustivardhanam is now

being explained. That inward dwelling spirit (atman), the Purusha

Shiva is the real sustainer of Prakriti (and not vice-versa as all

people perceive). Starting with the mahatatva (primordial state of

matter/energy) to the individual parts of creation, the entire

sustenance of the physically created beings (both animate and

inanimate) is done by the imperishable Purusha. You, I, Brahma,

Vishnu, the Munis and even Indra & devas are maintained/sustained (by

the atma and that is Him). Since the Purusha (atma - Shiva) is the

granter of sustenance to prakriti (body/nature), he is 'Pusti-

vardhana'. "

 

Having explained the first two pada of the mantra, Sukracharya

continued to explain the remaining two pada. He said, " The next two

pada (consisting of sixteen syllables) is

 

Meaning - Prabhu! Just as the ripe cucumber is severed from the

bondage of the creeper, in the same manner may we be delivered from

death for the sake of immortality (Moksha). Rudra deva is like amrita

(nectar of immortality). Those who worship Him with good karma,

penance and repentance, meditation, contemplation, prayer or praise,

will surely renewed life and vigor. The strength of truth force (in

this mantra) is such that Lord Shiva shall definitely free the

worshipper from the bondage of death because Shiva alone is the giver

of bondage and Moksha.

 

This is the Mritasanjivani mantra and has the power to give back

life and rescue from death and great evils. You should adore Lord

Shiva and recite this mantra. Water sanctified with this mantra

should be drunk all the time. [Authors note: It is well known that

the rudraksha bead is placed in a glass of water after being held in

the palm during the recitation of the mantra. this water is drunk

during the day.]

 

Oblations in the sacrificial fire with this mantra are very

purifying. Now I shall teach the dhyana for the mantra. " Saying so,

Sukracharya started reciting the slokas for meditating on Lord Shiva.

 

Understanding the Maha Mrityunjaya 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. This Mantra is given in the prayer page

of my Book " Maharishi Jaimini's Upadesa Sutra " .

 

· 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

Shakthi' 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 symbolizes Brahma the Omniscient Creator. In this manner

He is also the Father (Genitor) of all.

 

· URVAAROKAMEVA: 'URVA' means " VISHAL " or big and powerful or

deadly. 'AAROOKAM' means 'Disease'. Thus URVAROOKA means deadly and

overpowering diseases. (The CUCUMBER interpretation given in various

places is also correct for the word URVAROOKAM). 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).

 

· BANDANAAN 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 death in this Physical world and from the neverending 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

rejuvinating 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.

 

Significance of Mrityunjaya Mantra

 

The Maha Mrityunjay is a mantra that is said to rejuvenate, bestow

health, wealth, a long life, peace, prosperity and contentment. The

Mantra is a centuries old technique of connecting one to pure

consciousness and bliss.

 

The prayer is addressed to LORD SHIVA. By chanting this Mantra,

Divine vibrations are generated which ward off all the negative and

evil forces and create a powerful protective shield. And it is said

to protect the one who chants against accidents and misfortunes of

every kind. It is a vibration that pulsates through every cell, every

molecule of our body and tears away the veil of ignorance. It ignites

a fire within us that consumes all our negativity and purifies our

entire system. It is also said to have a powerful healing of diseases

declared incurable even by the doctors. It is a Mantra to conquer

death and connects us to our own inner divinity.

 

Known as the Moksha Mantra of Lord Shiva, Maha Mrityunjay evokes

the Shiva within and removes the fear of death, liberating one from

the cycle of death and rebirth.

 

The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is very much a protector from

accidents, mishaps and daily calamities in the modern busy life.

 

When to chant:

 

Chanting the Maha Mrityunjay Mantra with sincerity, faith and

devotion in Bramha Muhurata is very beneficial. But one can also

chant it anytime in a pure environment with great benefit and

discover the happiness that's already within.

 

This Maha Mirityunyaya Mantra is a life giving mantra. It is a

mantra to keep us safe from harm, safely in the arms of the Lord. It

has a great curative effect, against diseases of body and mind, if it

is chanted with sincerity, faith and devotion. In these days, when

life is very complex and accidents are an everyday affair, this holy

Mantra comes to your rescue. It wards off death by snake-bits,

lightning, water accidents, motor accidents, air accidents, and

accidents of all kinds. Besides, It has a great curative power.

Diseases that are pronounced incurable by doctors are cured by this

Mantra, when chanted with sincerity, faith and devotion. It is a

Mantra too conquers death.

 

It is also a Moksha-Mantra. It is Lord Shiva's mantra. It bestows

health (Arogya), long life (Durgha Ayus), peace (Shanthi), wealth

(Aishwarya), prosperity (Rishti), satisfaction (Tushti) and

immortality (Moksha).

 

On your birthday, repeat this Mantra with faith. It will bestow

long life. You may repeat also at bedside of ailing persons.

 

To chant with the mantra or to have it playing in the background

can be helpful in everyway as we allow its influence to permeate our

consciousness.