Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
The Tryambaka verse of the Rigveda, addressed to Rudra — a prayer for release, likening it to a ripe fruit loosening from its stem.
Rigveda 7.59.12edition
Sanskrit · संस्कृत
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Meaning
We worship Tryambaka, the fragrant one who increases nourishment. As a ripe cucumber is freed from its stem, may we be freed from bondage — but not from what does not die.
This rendering is by a DharmSetu editor, not a quotation from a published translation. Compare with the public-domain translation.
A Hindi meaning has not been written for this mantra yet. Hindi is authored by a named editor rather than machine-translated, so it arrives more slowly.
How to recite
- Repetitions
- 11 · 21 · 108
- Mala
- rudraksha
- Time
- brahma muhurta, sandhya
Pronunciation key — sounds commonly got wrong
- ट ठ ड ढ ण · ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ
- Retroflex — the tongue curls back and touches the roof of the mouth. Distinct from the dental त थ द ध न, where the tongue touches the teeth.
- श ष स · ś ṣ s
- Three different sounds: ś as in “shy”, ṣ retroflex and further back, s plain. Collapsing them changes words.
- ः · ḥ (visarga)
- A soft outward breath echoing the preceding vowel — not a hard “ha”.
- ं · ṃ (anusvara)
- Nasalises the vowel; the closing sound follows the consonant that comes next.
- Long vs short vowels — a / ā, i / ī, u / ū
- Vowel length is meaningful in Sanskrit. Hold the macron vowels roughly twice as long.
- Aspirated consonants — kh, gh, ch, th, dh, ph, bh
- A distinct puff of breath. ph is an aspirated p, never an English “f”.
Word by word
- त्र्यम्बकम्tryambakam
- the three-eyed one(acc. sg.)MW1899-CDSL p.463
- यजामहेyajāmahe
- we worship, we offer toMW1899-CDSL p.838
- सुगन्धिम्sugandhim
- the fragrant oneMW1899-CDSL p.1222
- पुष्टिवर्धनम्puṣṭi-vardhanam
- increaser of nourishmentMW1899-CDSL p.639
- उर्वारुकम्urvārukam
- a cucumber or ripe gourdMW1899-CDSL p.218
- इवiva
- like, asMW1899-CDSL p.168
- बन्धनात्bandhanāt
- from the stem; from bondage(abl. sg.)MW1899-CDSL p.721
- मृत्योःmṛtyoḥ
- of death(gen. sg.)MW1899-CDSL p.827
- मुक्षीयmukṣīya
- may I be releasedMW1899-CDSL p.820
- मा अमृतात्mā'mṛtāt
- not from the undyingMW1899-CDSL p.82
Glosses are confirmed against a Sanskrit–English dictionary; the reference after each entry names the edition consulted.
Context
Shadanga — the six limbs
The traditional analytic frame for a mantra. Blank limbs are simply not recorded for this text.
- chhanda
- Anushtubh
- devata
- Rudra (Tryambaka)
Recited at / traditionally recited for
Classified as Vedic — From the Vedic corpus — Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka or Upanishad. Carries a rishi, a metre, and accent marking. Basis for this classification.
Related mantras
Purnamadah Purnamidam
The fullness verse — take fullness from fullness and fullness remains. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1.
Agnim Ile — the first verse of the Rigveda
The opening verse of the Rigveda, and so the first line of the Vedic corpus — an invocation of Agni.
Sangachhadhvam Samvadadhvam
The closing hymn of the Rigveda, on moving together and speaking together — Rigveda 10.191.2.
Bhadram Karnebhih
A prayer to hear what is good and see what is good, with steady limbs — Rigveda 1.89.8.
Isha Vasyam Idam Sarvam
The opening verse of the Isha Upanishad — all this is pervaded by the Lord; enjoy what is left over.
Dyauh Shantih — the great peace invocation
Peace called down through sky, air, earth, waters, plants and all beings — Shukla Yajurveda 36.17.