Mahamrutyunjaya:
Mantra for Life
(3 min read)
Fear
of Death
Every life-form has zest for life, an
instinct for survival and avoidance of death; but only humans suffer from a
morbid fear of death, and worry about life after death. That may be the reason
why Mahamrutyunjaya is among the most popular mantras.
The
Mantra & Meaning
Mahamrutyunjaya Mantra (MM) is,
literally, the most potent mantra to conquer Death. It is believed that worship
of Lord Shiva with this mantra is a guaranteed shield against untimely death.
मन्त्र
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिम्पुष्टिवर्द्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Aum trayAmbakam yajAmahe sugandhimpushtivardhanam,
UrbArukamiva vandhanAtmrutyormukshiya mAmrutAt.
AUM, we worship with reverence Lord
Shiva, the One with Three Eyes, who fills our life with fragrance and sustains,
nourishes and enriches our life, to deliver us from death to eternal life, just
as a ripe cucumber effortlessly detaches itself from the stem.
MM, as the
title suggests, is the most potent mantra for victory over Death. But we know
Death is undefeatable. Death will harvest all that live and grow.
MM is
not a prayer for immortality, but a prayer for shielding us against premature,
untimely death. Again, we know that no life has a guaranteed tenure. Even Adi
Shankara, believed by his disciples and devotees to be an avatar of Lord Shiva,
died young at the age of 32. But before death came, he had accomplished such
feats that an ordinary mortal may not achieve in several lives. A life with a
mission; brief but momentous.
MM is a
prayer not merely to shield us against premature death, but to lead us to live
a meaningful life, regardless of its length.
Life
and Death are not at war, Death is no adversary. Life is a journey, Death its
destination; Life is a seed, Death its fruit. Each life ends to make new life
possible.
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraj)
Tamilnadu, Chola Period, 11th Century AD
On view at The Met, Fifth Avenue, Gallery 240
The photo of the sculpture is from metmuseum.org
Life-affirming
Many devotees chant this mantra, or
arrange for ritual chanting of this mantra in a Shiva temple to seek cure from
diseases, and to avert untimely death, especially of a terminally-ill relative.
But the fear of death is not the dominant motif of this mantra. It is a
life-affirming mantra.
The word ‘mrutyu’ (death) occurs only
once in the mantra, towards the end; the remaining words of the mantra are for
and about Life.
The prayer is for a fulfilling life,
to savour the invisible heavenly blessings wafting around us as a soothing fragrance
and partake as prasad the bountiful nourishment provided by Shiva, the Eternal
Life-force.
Just as a ripe cucumber effortlessly
detaches itself from the stem, may we be released from the ephemeral to the
eternal when our time comes. A ripe fruit falls upon the ground. There is no
regret or sorrow. It is the fulfilment of its destiny.
What is the purpose of a cucumber
plant? To make cucumber and to give. The plant does not eat the fruit it
produces. Each fruit is an offering, a sacrifice by the tree.
We, too, are fulfilled when our life
is a worshipful offering, a sacrifice with reverence and humility.
AUM Namah Shivaya!
Prayers to Lord Shiva to nourish our
life, and bless us with a meaningful, fulfilled life.
Maha Shivaratri
18th February, 2023
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Aum Namah Shivaya. Namaste 🙏 dada. This seems like a complete and pure description of the Mahamrityunjay Mantra (MM). One can know the details so easily and realise how sublime it is.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful interpretation! Thanks! OmNamahShivaya
ReplyDeleteThank you brother Prasanna.If we regularly go through Bhagavat Geeta fear for death and illness will go away
ReplyDeleteThanks... it's very informative. Om Namah Shivaya.
ReplyDelete