Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
The great death-conquering mantra — a prayer for healing, protection, and liberation.
Quick answer
The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is a Vedic healing and protection mantra to Shiva, chanted for the dying, for the seriously ill, and for liberation from fear.
- Tradition
- Hindu / Vedic
- Language
- Sanskrit
- Deity
- Shiva
- Repetitions
- 108 or 1008 times.
- Best time
- Sunrise or before bed. Anytime healing is called for.
- Best for
- Healing, Protection, For the seriously ill
Original
Transliteration
Oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt
Translation
We worship the three-eyed one, fragrant and nourishing all beings. As the ripe cucumber falls easily from its vine, may we be freed from the bondage of death — not from immortality.
Line by line
Oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe
We worship the three-eyed Shiva.
sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam
The fragrant one, who nourishes all.
urvārukam iva bandhanān
Like a ripe cucumber from its stalk,
mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt
may we be released from death, but not from immortality.
Meaning
Literal
A prayer to Shiva as the three-eyed one, asking for release from mortality as effortlessly as a ripe fruit falls from the vine.
Spiritual interpretation
The mantra does not ask to avoid death, but to be liberated into the deathless. It is chanted for healing, for the dying, and for the practitioner's own liberation from fear.
What this mantra is used for
How to chant
Chant slowly, giving full weight to each syllable. Often repeated 108 times. In serious illness, may be chanted 1008 times or as continuous japa.
When to chant
Sunrise or before bed. Anytime healing is called for.
Traditional count: 108 or 1008 times.
Origin & context
Rig Veda 7.59.12, attributed to the sage Vasishtha.
Related mantras
Om Namah Shivaya
I bow to Shiva — the auspicious one, the pure awareness within.
Gayatri Mantra
The mother of the Vedas — a prayer for the illumination of the intellect.
Medicine Buddha Mantra
The great healer's mantra — for the body, the mind, and the world.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra used for?+
It is chanted for healing, protection, at the bedside of the seriously ill, and for the practitioner's own liberation from fear of death.
Is it safe for beginners?+
It is safe, though more powerful and traditionally taught after Om Namah Shivaya. Approach it with reverence.
How many times should I chant it?+
108 times is standard. In serious illness, 1008 or continuous chanting is traditional.