Mantra For Life: Mrityunjaya Mantra (मृत्युंजय मंत्र): The Hymn to Protect Life

Om Gurave Namah

Before starting my first article on a Vedic Mantra, I would like to thank my Guru Pt. Sanjay Rath, The Jyotish Ratna of India. It is by his teaching and blessing which opened the doors of Vedagna Jyotish to me. The first mantra my Guru taught me was Mrityunjaya Mantra only.  

Om Namah Shivaya

Mantra

The Sanskrit word “Mantra” is derived from the word “Mann” meaning mind, self conscious, inner being. Mantra means an energy that works on the mind of person chanting it or listening to it. Ancient Hindu Texts like Shiva Maha Puran speaks that the whole universe was created just the manifestation of  Sound. The mono-syllable “OM” ॐ first manifested through its crescent and a the dot which is just the mere vibration.

Rig Veda which is highest of the Vedas is composed in different sound meters called “Chhandas”. These Chhandas are the rhythm of sound that produce a certain vibration and the body resonates on the same when they are chanted. It this resonance of body that creates specific energies that effect the cosmos is such a manner that a certain desirable result is achieved. The mantras are not just a Hindu concept it is found in all religions of the world, with different names as prayers, chants, incantations, hymn etc. because at the end God is one, and all the different religions are just like different languages to talk to him only.

 Mrityunjaya Mantra

Mrityu means death and Jaya means wining. Mrityunjaya Mantra means a mantra that wins over death, protects health and life. The Mrityunjaya Mantra is from Seventh Mandala of Rig Veda, and is composed in “Anusthub Chhanda” (32 syllable sound) which is regarded to grant the highest protection. There are different Anusthub Chhanda Mantras to protect different things, but the Mrityunjaya Mantras is most important and one of the highest mantras as it guards the native from all evils and dangers of ill health, death, etc.

The Mrityunjaya Mantra is said to be a Mantra of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is said to bathe in waters of life while chanting the Mrityunjaya Mantra. The Sanjeevani (Giver of Life) is pure drinking water, without which no form of life can exist. It is said to replenish youth, cleanse the body and grant good health. Venus as a significator of love, health and happiness is one responsible for fighting to protect life. Because the one loves will always fight to protect, and Mrityunjaya Mantra of Lord Shiva is believed to his finest gift to humanity from Venus.

ॐ त्र्यं॑बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।

उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर् मु॑क्षीय॒ माऽमृता॑त् ।।

Om tryambakam yajāmahe sugandhim puṣṭivardhana 

urvā rukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā’mṛtāt

 The above mantra is very useful for people who are suffering from diseases or generally have ill health due to low immunity. For everyday use this mantra can be chanted  32 times in evening for ensuring stable health. Recommended number of repetitions is 108 times on a rosary of good quality available in your country. 

People who have serious health problems or facing danger to life, like people injured in deadly accident and are having life and death scenarios than any of their close relatives can do the mantra in their name with the following procedure:

1. Take a bath and wear clean white clothes if possible.
2. Take a small bowl of water and keep it in front of you.
3. Close your eyes and imagine the person for whom you want to do the mantra.
4. Pray to Almighty to save their life or recover health and say in your mind the objective of mantra for which your doing it. e.g. “Dear God I am going to do the mrityunjaya jaya for health and protection of my Son, (Name).
5. Start the mantra.  Do it 108 times at three intervals during the day i.e. Morning, Afternoon and Evening, making a total of 108×3.
6. If extremely serious cases the mantra should be recited 150,000 times. 
7. Avoid Alcoholic drinks and adhere to vegetarian food for period when chanting the mantra for serious problems. 
8. Pour the water from the bowl into a plant. Use fresh water everyday. 

 

I thereby pay my obedience to Almighty and pray for everyone’s well being.