महामृत्युंजय मंत्र - Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात्
- ॐ aum = is a sacred/mystical syllable in Sanatan Dharma or Hindu religions, i.e. Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism & Sikhism.
- त्र्यम्बकं tryambakam = the three-eyed one (accusative case),
त्रि + अम्बकम् = tri + ambakam = three + eye
- यजामहे yajāmahe = We worship, adore, honour, revere,
- सुगन्धिम् sugandhim = sweet fragrance, 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 urvārukam-iva = like the cucumber or melon (in the accusative case); or like a big peach.
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; Another way: uru: big, large; ārukam (in the accusative case): peach; iva: like.
- 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)'. If you read it with mṛtyormukṣīya it means 'liberate from the bounds of death'
- मृत्योर्मुक्षीय mṛtyormukṣīya = Free, liberate From death
मृत्यु: + मुक्षीय = mṛtyoḥ + mukṣīya= from death + free (Vedic usage)
- माऽमृतात् mā'mṛtāt can be translated in a number of different ways:
- मा + अमृतात् = mā + amṛtāt = not + immortality, nectar
Translation would be: (Free me from death but) not from immortality.
- मा (माम) + अमृतात् = mā (short form of mām) + amṛtāt = myself + immortality
Translation would be: Give me some life rejuvenating nectar
- मा (माम) + अमृतात् = mā (short form of mām) + amṛtāt = myself + sure, definitely
Translation would be: Free me from certain death.