The Mahamrityunjaya Jaap

The Mahamrityunjaya mantra is believed to be one of the most powerful mantras. Believers say this mantra was given by Lord Shiva to humanity to help them overcome the fear of death.

This mantra is found in the Rig Veda, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is attributed to Sage Vashisht. The word Mahamrityunjaya literally means ‘death conquering’. This also forms a part of the Yajur Veda.

There is no restriction on who can chant it. Ideally, one should begin by paying homage to Sage Vashisht and then start the chanting. It should be chanted 108 times, preferably with counting done on a rudraksh mala. The numbers 108 signify oneness, nothingness, and everything. In other words, this means the Universe is One, Empty, and Infinite, all at once. This is the supreme reality. One should sit on an asan facing east and invoke the blessings of Lord Shiva through this mantra.

The chanting of this mantra gratifies the highest divine power, Lord Shiva, also known as the Lord of destruction.

The mantra is as follows:

Aum Trayambakam Yajaamahe

Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam

Urvarukamiva Bandhanaat

Mrityormokshiya Maamritat.

The Mantra is divided into four lines and is meant to be life sustaining.

The meaning of the mantra is:

We worship the three-eyed One (Lord Shiva) who is fragrant and who nourishes all beings. May He liberate us from death and mortality, like a fruit falls off once it is freed from the bondage of the stem.

The mantra releases vibrations that realign the body, mind, and emotions, thus restoring good health. It wards off calamities, bestows longevity, prevents untimely death, and removes fears. Energies get regenerated and a positive aura is created around one. It also connects the body with the inner self.

It is also believed that one can chant the mantra for maximum benefit by applying vibhuti on our forehead, filling a glass with water, closing it with the right hand, chanting the mantra 108 times while facing east and then spraying the water in the house and also drinking a part of it.

Mahamrityunjaya mantra is spiritually uplifting and can be used for healing and maintaining vitality. It aids in overcoming obstacles and also awakens our innate healing powers in the mind and body. It is the ultimate remedy for restoring good health, overcoming psychological fears, giving freedom from death, and enhancing vitality.

With this mantra one can also conquer the inner enemies of hatred, greed, and jealousy. The mantra purifies the body, mind and emotions.

The power of this mantra has been explained by Lord Shiva in the Netra Tantra, a conversation recorded between Lord Shiva and Parvati. Parvati asks Shiva that since his eyes are full of compassion, how is it possible that these same eyes can produce a fire capable of reducing death to ashes. Shiva replies that his eyes are the source of immortality and in their light lies the power of knowledge and action. It is through this power that he destroys and creates. “The fire in my eyes manifests in the form of the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra.” (Translated by Pandit Rajamani Tigunait)

In astrological parlance, the significator of death and disease is Saturn, a karmic planet. When one is afflicted by Saturn, or going through the sade sati, which is the seven-and-a-half-year cycle of Saturn over natal Moon, the mantra is most efficacious in warding off calamities. It should be chanted daily 108 times daily.