The full mantra
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Om tryambakaṃ yajāmahe
sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam
urvārukam iva bandhanān
mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt
Source: Rig Veda 7.59.12, attributed to the sage Vasishtha; it also appears in the Yajur Veda (Shukla Yajur Veda 3.60) as part of the Rudram tradition. It is also called the Tryambakam Mantra and the Rudra Mantra.
Phonetic pronunciation
Om (aum) · tryam-ba-kam ya-jaa-ma-he · su-gan-dhim push-ti-var-dha-nam · ur-vaa-ru-kam i-va ban-dha-naan · mrit-yor muk-shee-ya maa-mri-taat. Keep the pace even and unhurried; the long vowels (ā, ī, ū) carry the breath, and the closing mā'mṛtāt should fade rather than stop.
Word-by-word translation
- Om — the primordial sound, Brahman itself.
- tryambakam — the three-eyed one (Shiva); also read as "he of the three mothers".
- yajāmahe — we worship, we offer reverence to.
- sugandhim — the sweetly fragrant one — fragrance as a symbol of pervading presence.
- puṣṭi-vardhanam — the increaser of nourishment, strength and well-being.
- urvārukam — the cucumber or gourd (a fruit that loosens by itself when ripe).
- iva — like, just as.
- bandhanāt — from bondage, from the stem that binds it.
- mṛtyoḥ — from death.
- mukṣīya — may I be liberated, may I be released.
- mā — not.
- amṛtāt — from immortality, from the deathless.
The unified meaning
"Om. We worship the three-eyed one, the fragrant one who increases nourishment. As the ripened gourd is freed from its stem, may I be freed from death — but not from immortality." The image at the heart of the verse is agricultural and gentle: a ripe fruit is not torn away, it releases naturally. The prayer is not for endless physical life but for ripening — that when release comes it is effortless, and what is deathless in us is never lost.
Why "three-eyed"?
Tryambaka names Shiva by his third eye — the eye of insight that sees past appearance. Two eyes see the body and its ending; the third sees the Self that death does not touch. Addressing Shiva this way sets the mantra's whole intention: ask for the sight that dissolves fear, not merely for more time.
The same understanding underlies Krishna's teaching in Bhagavad Gita 2.20 — the Self "is not born, nor does it ever die".
Spiritual benefits
- Traditionally chanted for healing and recovery, and on behalf of someone who is unwell.
- Softens the fear of death, loss, and endings — the mantra's central theme.
- Steadies the mind before surgery, travel, grief, or major transitions.
- Said to strengthen puṣṭi — vitality, nourishment, resilience.
- Turns attention from clinging toward ripening and graceful release.
Chanting is a spiritual practice, not medical treatment. Use it alongside — never instead of — the care of a qualified doctor.
How to practise
- Sit facing east or north at dawn or dusk, spine upright, hands resting open.
- Take three slow breaths and bring to mind the person or situation you are chanting for.
- Chant Om three times to settle the voice.
- Repeat the full mantra 11, 27, or 108 times on a rudraksha mala — Monday, Shiva's day, is traditional.
- Close in silence for a minute before rising; offer the practice rather than keeping it.
An intensive observance (anushthana) of 125,000 repetitions over a set period is traditional in times of serious illness, usually with a guru's guidance. For everyday practice, eleven sincere repetitions daily are enough — regularity matters more than count.
Mahamrityunjaya and Gayatri together
The two great Vedic mantras are often paired. The Gayatri Mantra asks for light in the intellect; the Mahamrityunjaya asks for fearlessness in the face of ending. Clarity and courage — chanted Gayatri first at dawn, Mahamrityunjaya after, they cover both.
Bring the mantra into your life
Speak with a Spiritual Guide on WithVidVan about chanting the Mahamrityunjaya through illness, grief, or fear — and how to hold the practice steadily alongside daily life.