Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra - महा मृत्युंजय मंत्र

It's mentioned in  Padampuran "पदम् पुराण" that Mahamrituanjaya mantra is composed in hymn form by Maharishi Markanday.

In the Rig-Veda, 4/52/12 the mantra has been recorded as:

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥

Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe
Sugandhim Pussttivardhanam
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan
Mrtyormukssiiya Maamrtaat ||

This mantra dedicated to lord Shiva 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 its 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, but Amrit Sanjivani mantra is different from maha Mrityunjaya mantra, it is a combination of mrityunjaya and gayatri.

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.


ॐ aum         = is a sacred/mystical syllable in Sanatan Dharma or Indian religions, i.e. Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism
tryambakam =  the three-eyed one (accusative case)
yajamahe      = We worship, adore, honor, revere
sugandhim     = sweet smelling, fragrant (accusative case)
pushti            = A well-nourished condition, thriving, prosperous, fullness of life
vardhanam    = One who nourishes, strengthens, causes to increase (in health, wealth, well-being); who  
                        gladdens, exhilarates, and restores health; a good gardener
urvarukam    =  'urva' means "vishal" or big and powerful or deadly. 'arukam' means 'disease'. Thus
                         urvarukam means deadly and overpowering diseases.
iva               = like, just as
bandhanān   = "from captivity" {i.e. from the stem of the cucumber} (of the gourd); (the ending is actually
                        long a then -d which changes to n/anusvara because of sandhi)
                        bandhanān means bound down. Thus read with urvārukam iva, it means 'I am bound down 
                        just as by deadly and overpowering diseases'.
mrityor         = From death
mukshīya      = Free, liberate
ma                = me
amritat           = [with] immortality, emancipation