Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात्

Om tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam

urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt

Mahamrityunjay Mantra 108 times by Anuradha Paudwal

Select HD Video, with subtitles and meaning

Main chant begins at 0:48

Mahamrityunjay Mantra 108 times By Shankar Sahney 
With subtitles
Main chant begins at 1:36

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Adapted from Wikipedia: wikipedia.com/en/Mahamrityunjaya_Mantra

The Mahamritunjaya Mantra is found In the Vedas in three places: 1) the Rig veda VII.59.12, 2) the Yajur Veda III.60, and 3) the Atharva Veda XIV.1.17. The Vedas are generally agreed to have been completed sometime between the 12th to the 10th centuries BCE. If I understand correctly, this ancient, codified philosophy was memorized and passed on by Brahmin priests until writing was invented, when it was written down as scriptures still widely studied to this day.

ॐ

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात्

Om tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam

urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt

Literal Meaning of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra:

ॐ aum = is a sacred/mystical syllable in Sanatan Dharma or Hindu religions, i.e. Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism & Sikhism.

त्र्यम्बकं tryambakam = the three-eyed one (accusative case),

त्रि + अम्बकम् = tri + ambakam = three + eye

यजामहे yajāmahe = We worship, adore, honour, revere,

सुगन्धिम् sugandhim = sweet fragrance, fragrant (accusative case),

पुष्टि puṣṭi = A well-nourished condition, thriving, prosperous, fullness of life,

वर्धनम् vardhanam = One who nourishes, strengthens, causes to increase (in health, wealth, well-being); who gladdens, exhilarates, and restores health; a good gardener,

पुष्टि-वर्धनम् = puṣṭi+vardhanam = पुष्टि: वर्धते अनेन तत् = puṣṭiḥ vardhate anena tat (samas)= The one who nourishes someone else and gives his life fullness.

उर्वारुकमिव urvārukam-iva = like the cucumber or melon (in the accusative case); or like a big peach.

Note: Some people have decomposed the compound urvārukam in this way: 'urva' means "vishal" or big and powerful or deadly; 'arukam' means 'disease'. But urva (उर्वा) does not mean 'vishal' in Sanskrit; Another way: uru: big, large; ārukam (in the accusative case): peach; iva: like.

बन्धनान् bandhanān = "from captivity" {i.e. from the stem of the cucumber} (of the gourd); (the ending is actually long a, then -t, which changes to n/anusvara because of sandhi)

Note: bandhanān means bound down. Thus, read with urvārukam iva, it means 'I am bound down just like a cucumber (to a vine)'. If you read it with mṛtyormukṣīya it means 'liberate from the bounds of death'

मृत्योर्मुक्षीय mṛtyormukṣīya = Free, liberate From death

मृत्यु: + मुक्षीय = mṛtyoḥ + mukṣīya= from death + free (Vedic usage)

माऽमृतात् mā'mṛtāt can be translated in a number of different ways:

1) मा + अमृतात् = mā + amṛtāt = not + immortality, nectar

Translation would be: (Free me from death but) not from immortality.

2) मा (माम) + अमृतात् = mā (short form of mām) + amṛtāt = myself + immortality

Translation would be: Give me some life rejuvenating nectar

3) मा (माम) + अमृतात् = mā (short form of mām) + amṛtāt = myself + sure, definitely

Translation would be: Free me from certain death.

ॐ