The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (Sanskrit: महामृत्युंजय मंत्र, Mahāmṛtyuṃjaya Mantra "great death-conquering mantra"), also called the Tryambakam Mantra, is a verse of the Rigveda (RV 7.59.12).It is addressed to Tryambaka "the three-eyed one", an epithet of Rudra, later identified with Shiva.[1][2] The verse also recurs in the Yajurveda (TS 1.8.6.i; VS 3.60)[3]
Along with the Gayatri mantra it is one of the most widely known mantras of contemporary Hinduism.
The mantra reads:
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This great mantra dedicated to Rudra as Mrityunjaya is found in the Rig Veda. It is called the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra, the Great Death-Conquering mantra. It is a mantra that has many names and forms. It is called the Rudra mantra, referring to the furious aspect of Shiva; the Tryambakam mantra, alluding to Shiva's three eyes; and it is sometimes known as the Mrita-Sanjivini mantra because it is a component of the "life-restoring" practice given to the primordial sage Shukra after he had completed an exhausting period of austerity. The Maha Mrityunjaya mantra is hailed by the sages as the heart of the Veda. Along with the Gayatri mantra it holds the highest place among the many mantras used for contemplation and meditation
Word to Word Meaning of Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
urvārukam: 'urva' means "vishal" or big and powerful or deadly. 'arukam' means 'disease'. Thus urvārukam means deadly and overpowering diseases. (The pumpkin interpretation given in various places is also correct for the word urvārukam, but not apt for this mantra). The diseases are also of three kinds caused by the influence (in the negative) of the three guṇas and are ignorance (avidyā), falsehood (asat, as even though Vishnu is everywhere, we fail to perceive Him and are guided by our sight and other senses) and weaknesses (ṣaḍripu, a constraint of this physical body and Shiva is all powerful).
bandhanān means bound down. Thus read with urvārukam iva, it means 'I am bound down yust as by deadly and overpowering diseases'.
We hail the fragrant Three-eyed One who nourishes [all] and increases the [sweet] fullness of life. As the cucumber is liberated from captivity [from its stem], may we [also] be liberated (mukshiya) from death (mrityor)not for the sake of immortality (maamritaat).
Actually OM is not spelled out in the Rig-Veda, but has to be added to the beginning of all Mantras as given in an earlier Mantra of the Rig-Veda addressed to Ganapati.