conquering death: the real mrityunjay
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Understanding the power of the Mahaa Mrityunjaya MantraTRANSCRIPT
CONQUERINGCONQUERINGCONQUERINGCONQUERING DEATDEATDEATDEATHHHH
T H E R E A L M R I T Y U N J AY
M A L C O L M C A L U O R I
Understanding the power of the
Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra
CONQUERING DEATH: THE REAL MRITYUNJAY
Understanding the Power of the Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra
By Malcolm Caluori
© February 2015 - Idam na mama
While we are in these human bodies, we are overwhelmed with the sensations
of external experience; we are overwhelmed by the sense of our individual
experience, overwhelmed by the limiting appearance of separateness and
impermanence. These are but appearances, though necessary appearances.
What would life be like if the “us” on the inside weren’t so affected and
influenced by the outside world or the condition of our body? What if we knew
the connection and unity we hear so much about? And what if our vision could
become so sharpened as to pierce through the busy world of changing and
passing forms, removing even death itself?
Today we are looking at one of the most celebrated instances of structured prayer ever advanced in the
history of human spiritual examination and practice: An ancient Sanskrit mantra that’s been said to have
the power to reveal the secret of immortality. It’s been called by many names, the most prominent of
which, by far, describes it as the Great Death Conqueror: the Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra.
ABOUT THE MRITYUNJAY
The Mantra is not about obtaining magical and fabulous
rewards. It’s neither about superstitions, nor anything
unnatural or paranormal. It’s not about keeping ourselves
alive, nor even about prolonging our lives. It’s not about a
clinging attachment to life at all. It’s about something
much greater. It’s about transforming our paradigm,
through a broader understanding, into something that goes
beyond our apparent limitations and brings us to a more
meaningful and fulfilling experience of life.
The Mrityunjaya is among the most important from the ancient Vedic scriptures, second only to the great
Gayatri Mantra, and it appears several times, with variations, throughout the Vedas. Its 32 syllables are
arranged according to a particular Chhanda, or poetic rhythmic meter (Anushtubh Chhanda), and various
rationalized indications regarding the number of recommended recitations have been prescribed.
SANSKRIT ORIGINS AND TRANSLATION
Typical of all scripture, it’s surface expresses a literal message, but it’s real meaning lay behind the
words; or better, perhaps, in this case, deep inside of the words. You see, unlike other World scripture, the
Vedas are in Sanskrit, language of incredible intricacy and specificity. A language with words so rich that
any literal word-for-word translation is vastly inadequate, and somehow fails to convey the real essence
and spirit of the original – and even that is only when the original words have even been properly
identified in the first place. Such flat attempts at translation abound. And sadly, the wide circulation of
early mistranslations by British indologists has left a persisting impact.
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In Martin Luther’s day, trained priests were the only ones to have access to the Christian
scriptures. Luther’s landmark translation into vernacular German meant that any literate
commoner could pursue the Bible. The Vedic tradition, Sanatana Dharma (or Hinduism,
as it has less properly also come to be called), has been meticulously handed down
through an unbroken chain of Brahmin priests for thousands of years. No doubt, the
British relished the status of historic heroism that their “discovery” and translation of the
ancient Sanskrit promised. But, unlike Luther, not only were they
not recipients in the chain of direct and proper training, they were
outside of the tradition entirely. Nor even did they necessarily
hold a sincere spiritual interest in acquiring India’s wisdom.
The publication of their unqualified and flawed works provided
the only widely available fuel to feed the hungry engine of those
who would have a sincere interest in Vedic studies, leading to the
world-wide repetition of, and now deeply ingrained prevalence of,
their mistakes. Mistakes, which, incidentally, simultaneously carried the additional perk of reinforcing
and perpetuating misconceptions and distorted attitudes regarding Hinduism, the most common of which
are that it is polytheism and idolatry. But the true Vedas have not been replaced by the false, because
meanwhile, that unbroken chain has continued to pass on the teachings of Sanatana Dharma, the
“Eternal Natural Way of the Universe,” to new generations.
MAHAA MRITYUNJAYA MANTRA
In our exploration of the Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra, we’ll begin with the original Sanskrit and, through
our examination, see if we can arrive at a translation that does capture its essence, its spirit and its poetry.
The version most widely cited, in standard practice, is that one appearing earliest, from Rig Veda,
Mandala 7, Suktam 59, Mantra 12 [RV 7.59.12].
Tryambakam yajaamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvaarukamiva bandhanaan mrityormukshiya ma’amritaat
Understanding the crudeness and disservice of attempting a literal translation, let’s start there, simply to
lay a groundwork.
I perform yaj to Tryambaka, most aromatic Bestower of plenty;
You copious Vastness, from the bonds of death free me to immortality.
This is a straightforward and, more importantly, accurate, if bland, rendering of the mantra. Though
scriptural explanation is still very necessary, and it isn’t a very moving rendering, and it’s devoid of any
poetic beauty, it does present the surface meaning, opening the door for us to begin looking at what this
revered mantra is really saying to us and what gives it its great power.
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HARNESSING THE POWER OF PRAYER
What is prayer, anyway? Exactly how and why it works is a big topic for another time, but finding the
power in prayer requires a certain understanding. So let’s first take some time here to consider its
characteristics.
Our Role in the Process
We have a dualistic existence, right? No need for examples. There is no aspect of it that
does not contain dualism. Even in the ultimate sense, there is a worldly reality and there
is a spiritual reality; the absoluteness of the infinite and the infinite diversity of the finite;
the source and its expression. Both sides of one coin, each needing the other. The trouble
comes in that one is seen and the other unseen. We get caught up in the seen, forgetting
that that’s not the whole truth.
What we call God, in the absolute sense, is not something separate from us, “out there”
somewhere. God is the One Power, the One Presence – the only presence, “without a
second” – the principle of existence itself, which necessarily involves expression. You are the necessary
result of that need. The divine spark within you that ignites you and causes you to be here, to be alive, to
exist, that is who you truly are. Your physical body is merely a vehicle, though a magnificent, cutting-
edge microcosm; your sense of “me” merely the result of your finite perception of experience. But neither
our finite and aging bodies nor our sense of egoistic personal identity are negative side effects of the
system. There is only perfection – balance, order and harmony, and all is as it ought to be.
If, as is often pointed out, we are spiritual beings having a human experience, then while we are human
our inescapable mandate is to facilitate expression of the Source, according to Its nature within us, subject
to and compelled by the workings of universal spiritual laws. You are, at once, yourself an expression of
that Source and the creative principle, and an agent for perpetuating ongoing creative expression.
The Nature of Prayer
Everything is energy in vibratory motion, both the material and the immaterial. And with much interest,
science is now valuing, examining and has begun to confirm the central and essential influence that basic
human consciousness exerts on reality. Prayer is a movement in consciousness, an energetic signal, a
vibratory stimulus which, through the principal of cause and effect, evokes a congruent sympathetic
response from universal law. It’s the proverbial planting of a seed, a seed upon which Law compulsively
operates. In this sense, all prayer is affirmatively answered. But are we planting the seeds we intend?
While we typically think of prayer as a deliberate directing of our consciousness
into spiritual alignment, in the grand design our every thought is a seed. A
nurturing system based upon expression requires seeds that can be nurtured to
fruition. And so, in the spirit of infinite variety, we as individuals are each
providing seeds and more unique seeds, whatever we choose. We are, by nature,
compelled to think, and our thoughts are a constant stream of prayer dynamically
creating our experience. What’s in your head throughout your day? What prayers are you sending out? If
you want to know what you’ve been planting, look at what you’re getting. If you’ve been asking for
tomatoes and you end up with onions, then you’ve been planting and cultivating onions and asking for
tomatoes.
Making Prayer Effective
This being the case, exercising mastery over our own destiny therefore requires constant awareness and
control over thought, word and action. All three play a role in determining the quality, character and
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potency of our seeds. And with this understanding, right prayer is revealed to be a learnable skill, a
discipline and a responsibility.
(thought)
Right “thought” is the basis of both, right words and right action. Regarding prayer, it involves a thorough
understanding of the knowledge of the workings of spiritual law in our lives, Vedanta. Concerning the
practice of scriptural prayer, it means that our knowledge and understanding allows us to perceive the
deeper meanings within the given prayer, rather than simply repeating the words without raising our
consciousness to the level of its real meaning. Such empty practice is fruitless. Any spiritual practice
serves its function only when performed with a focused contemplation of the deep meaning of what one is
performing.
(action)
You will know that this is properly done – as opposed to only within the intellect – when you are
overcome with a sense of profound, awe-struck reverence and gratitude. This feeling is called sattvic
bhava. The human susceptibility to this spiritual experience, and the subsequent urge to express it, has
naturally appeared as our universal impulse to worshipful practices. Sattvic bhava is the producer and
product of bhakti – a loving devotion, an intimate participatory relationship with the Divine. Regarding
the “action” of prayer, what constitutes the very act of praying? What activates one’s prayer? What makes
our thoughts into seeds? It is the associated feelings we hold. It is our bhava, our vibe, the
quality of our vibrational energy that is the signal (of sattva, rajas or tamas). Effective
prayer, properly practiced, mindfully exercises a purified, spiritually aligned (sattvic) quality
of consciousness, a high vibrational frequency. That is, it is infused with the key, active
ingredient, bhava. With practice over time, its presence gains maturity and sustainability.
(words)
The right “word” of prayer refers to the content of the prayer itself. Since God is not separate from us,
proper prayer is not so much directed at someone “out there,” per se, as mentioned earlier. Neither, of
course, is it offered to ourselves. God is more than, greater than ourselves. God is omnipresent,
omniscient and omnipotent. God is the Ultimate, the Supreme, Absolute, the Causeless Cause. Nor is
proper prayer the “bargaining prayer”, you know the sort. God is changeless, perfect and complete, and
does not need our worship. God is not persuaded by our promises, but is moved by our actions. The
offerings we make in worship, praise and prayer, though given with love in the spirit of service and
surrender, serve God not by changing God, but by
changing us – by opening ourselves to the inner
transformation that is ever awaiting our receptivity.
And so proper prayer is also not so much about asking
for things. God has already given everything. All
systems of the divine design are in place and are
always functioning. Everything is ever available to us
and is already ours. How much we claim is that portion
we actually believe is ours to claim. It is done unto us
as we believe. It’s up to us to disarm an unwanted
effect by correcting the cause that is our own false
belief. It’s up to us to choose our seed, to trust in the certain operation of Law, to fear not, to sweep
complacency aside and to undertake to become the cause to our desired effect. Effective prayer is
deliberately and gratefully reminding ourselves of that whole unseen truth.
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With this understanding, we gain the ability to observe the ways that scriptural prayer conforms to this
message. For example, we frequently see or hear the words, “may You this…” and “may I that…”, “may
You bless…” or “may we be healthy, prosperous…”, etc. Often interpreted as a request, such statements
are actually an affirmation of Truth, a remembrance of the divine promise. It is essentially saying, “may it
be so,” a directive again meant to raise consciousness. A call to ourselves to let it be so, for it is so. It’s an
invitation to recognize and receive the gifts that have been made to us, understanding that God appears in
the world and works through us, His delegated vessels.
Right thought, right word, right action. All three influences impact the quality of your prayer. Become an
MVP of prayer, and may you pray without ceasing.
(M) Right Meaning – (V) Right Vibration – (P) Right Prayer
Two Simple Lines
At first glance, the construction of the Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra appears misleadingly simple. A short
forthright statement of address including the grand and elaborate praise typical of Vedic hymns, followed
by a short forthright statement of the mantra’s intent: bandhanaan mrityormukshiya maa (free me from
the bondage of death). It’s upon these words that it would seem the recitor’s attention and emphasis
would naturally fall. But in seeing the mantra in this way, one wonders where its power comes from.
What’s missing from this perspective is the “M”, the meaning. The real juice, the secret to realizing the
message and the power of the Mrityunjay, inconspicuously crouches in what precedes these words.
To where does the mantra turn for the fulfillment of its stated intent? Where is the attention being directed
to provide this? To the Supreme Power, sure, but that’s not specific enough. That “elaborate address” is
no frivolous formality, as a lord being approached by flattering courtiers. It’s more like a citation – a
three-part precision laser beam directing awareness to precisely those grand divine principles that, once
kindled within the mind, can illuminate the way to fulfilling the mantra’s lofty intention. The actual
construction of the Mrityunjay, then, is a reverent contemplation announcing first the Thing Itself, and
then what It does. To whom then, exactly, is this mantra addressed?
1. TryAmbakam
2. Sugandhim PushtiVardhanam
3. UrvaaRukam-iva
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
If everything is of God, then there is no limit to the number of facets, aspects or principals that can be
identified with the One Source. We, in our dualistic dimension, make sense of our experience by making
distinctions between things and concepts. In spiritual practice, turning awareness to the consideration of
any particular facet or principal is done with the understanding that there is always a sacredness about the
thing. This attitude transforms the object of contemplation into a name – a divine name.
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In the Vedic tradition, the mindfulness of omnipresence results in a total number of names attributed to
God that is unquantifiable and inexhaustible. A divine name is not simply a word providing convenience
in pointing to God. God being indivisible, any appellative of God is considered, in itself, an embodiment
of God. For this reason, the recitation of divine names alone (such as nama japa, or sahasranamam) is
itself an important form of worship. While each aspect of God that is cited as a name can be understood
abstractly, or also in the sense of being a force behind and within the natural world, it is also frequently
represented in personified from, as seen in the spectacular array of devas.
Crucially, however, each name is, or caries within it, a sort of descriptive explanation of a particular
quality or characteristic. That is, it is an epithet. But more, where descriptions of God are concerned
(loving, generous, whole, perfect, etc), it is understood that, absolutely, God is Love itself, is Generosity,
is Wholeness and is Perfection itself. Without understanding the meaning of a given name, one
appreciates neither its purpose in pointing up the sacredness and order in every aspect of experience, nor
its function of directing our consciousness to the contemplation of God in the given context, that state
which opens the door to deeper knowing and to wisdom.
Tryambakam yajaamahe I perform yaj to Tryambaka
Yaj is the personal expression of honoring, adoration, surrender and service, as offered specifically in the
worshipful ritual to God. Tryambakam is Tryambakeshvara, an epithet specific to Lord Shiva.
The word Tryambakam is a compound (Tri and Ambaka) literally meaning the Three Mothers, the Tri-
Shakti (Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati), referring to the three feminine universal powers of time, space and
causation. However, according to the rules of Sanskrit grammar, the name is considered Yaugika. That is,
it is not intended to be taken in its literal sense, but is a pointer showing the direction to a broader range of
application. As if “time, space and causation” doesn’t already cover everything, the application of
Tryambakam, then, is, by extension, expressive of the concept of the Sacred Trinity itself, in its absolute
sense. For example, when contemplating the name Tryambaka, Shiva now is illuminated as being both the
masculine and feminine, as well as that which is beyond gender.
As an epithet, and being an epithet of God, it cannot be limited, and therefore evokes the entire range of
such triune systems, so familiar and numerous that surely you can provide several examples of your own.
(We have even mentioned several others already)
Mind Body Soul
Past Present Future
Bhur Bhuva Svah
Father Son Holy Spirit
Creation Preservation Dissolution
Visual Auditory Kinesthetic
Sat Chit Ananda
Source Expression Law
Balance Order Harmony
Thought Word Action
Sattva Rajas Tamas
Omnipresence Omniscience Omnipotence
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That Lord Shiva is the ultimate embodiment of this is represented and evidenced by the Divya-Drishti,
the third eye at the forehead. In the course of presenting the Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra in his book, Shree
Rig Veda Samhitaa (which thoroughly discusses the Sanskrit mantra’s translation and mistranslation),
Pandit Roop Sukhram makes a wonderful reference to Vraatya (the name of the ascetic form of Lord
Shiva), from Atharva Veda [AV 15.18.1-2]. Therein we find: “…the right eye is the sun and the left is the
moon.” And then beyond these is the third eye, fire – that element understood as the Light, and as the
divine mystery of energy, of consciousness and of life itself. In other words, the eye of transcendent
vision.
Time and Space; Sun and Moon; Right and Left; Masculine and Feminine. The pattern here is that of
dualism, and then, additionally, of that which transcends it. Again we are taken directly to the Ultimate, in
the most absolute sense: Expression and its Source. Even pressing the palms together (the anjali mudra)
is representative of the union within duality. Its relationship to and evocation of this Shiva nature is
unquestionable, galvanized by the so frequent raising of the gesture to the forehead – the dual and the
transcendent. The Trinity is a sacred and universal concept indicative of completeness, wholeness – an
integrated, all-encompassing, symbiotic union. This is Tryambakeshvara.
Traditionally, and correctly, translations have selected one triune representation or other when translating
Tryambakam. Most usually, Past-Present-Future, or Three-Eyed Lord. But we now can understand that
the full quality of Tryambaka is that of triple vision, the Lord of the Great Sacred Trinity, of symbiosis,
order and totality, without exception.
With this understanding, a new – contextual – direct translation can now be extrapolated, revising our
earlier literal translation:
Literal: I perform yaj to Tryambaka
Direct: I reverently honor the Lord of the Trinity
The implication then, in practice, is the recognition that the duality of our own experience is an
inseparable part of something transcendent. Anything that we can possibly perceive is only part of a larger
perfection at work. To invoke Tryambaka is to contemplate this greater truth.
Practical: With reverence I contemplate the imminence of Transcendence (Itself)
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
most aromatic Bestower of plenty
Sugandhim comes from gandh (scent), gandhim (scented), and the prefix su- for superlative emphasis. As
a Yog’rudhi word, despite its literal surface, it caries a particular connotation of its own. Rather than
indicating something that has an aroma, or emits an aroma, sugandhim, here, implies the essence of the
aroma itself, a presence that is sarva vyapaka (pervader of all), so pervasive (su-) as to effervesce even
from “within the very fragrance of the flower petal.” Such a thrilling evocation of an irresistible potency
in even the most subtle and delicate of sensual pleasures.
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As another of Shiva’s divine appellations, Sugandhim is the omnipresent guardian, the undisturbed
presence within all created forms, stabilizing the ideals of universal qualities and values (what Ernest
Holmes called, the “pattern of perfection”) – a condition of changeless, balanced perfection, which can be
neither expelled nor circumvented.
Pushtivardhanam is another compound (pushti and vardhana). Vardhana (provides, bestows), but
specifically as from a source of nourishment, increase, prosperity and growth – as from a caring supplier
of well-being, a benefactor of wealth and vitality in every sense. Pushtivardhanam, then, is That
nourishing Benefactor who’s copious provision is so bountiful as to produce pushti. Pushti, (literally
“fullness”, even “plumpness”), refers to a thriving form and circumstance, a lavish condition of opulence
and abundance. The word conjures an ardor-inducing image of a generous, vigorous, vitality-filled patron
with heavy sacks and bulging pockets that never get smaller no matter how much is distributed.
As an epithet, the name Pushtivardhanam reveals God as the very principal of generation and expansion.
It shows us that perfection, joy and thriving are intrinsic and unyielding. It shows us that the limitations of
our vitality and well-being – in any respect (health, work, material wealth, relationships, pleasures, etc.) –
are an illusion of our own perceptions and beliefs.
Literal: most aromatic Bestower of plently
Direct: infinitely abundant Nourisher, pervasive even as the blossom’s fragrance
In practice, Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam becomes a powerfully illuminating keystone in the architecture
of the Mrityunjay. It reveals that we have an intimate personal identification with the Transcendent; and
that, wholly and irresistibly pervasive, that identity is shared by all, even the most subtle or abstract; and
that its nature is emergent, sumptuous life.
Practical: That indomitably profuse Nourishing Source and Essence of all that is
Urvaarukamiva
You copious Vastness
The third and final divine name in the Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra is Urvaarukam. It also is a compound
(urva and ruka). Its mistaken citation as being from urvaaru (referring to the entire family of gourds), and
subsequent mistranslation as “cucumber” (!) has been so rampantly accepted and repeated as to become
the regrettable standard. Not only is it an insulting replacement of this appellative, but it is, on its own,
nonsensical, requiring the insertion of explanatory language that is not in the mantra in order to attempt to
justify its clearly mislaid appearance.
Urva (vast, expansive), as in the vast, great expanse of the earth or the heavens, or as the ocean, to which
the word can also be used to refer. But it also has the specific connotation of “excessive”, “extensive”,
and “much”, the sort of emphasized much-ness in the way of “so much.” Ruka, (liberal, bountiful,
generous), once again. The resulting Urvaarukam indicates an entity that is “(so much)-vast-profuse”, that
is “(so much)-expansive-copious” – a word categorized as a Samaasa compound where word
combination augments or emphasizes meaning.
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In other words, an entity that is vastness so great and expansive as to be limitless. That is, The One, the
whole Universe and anything even beyond – the Only Identity, the Cosmos Itself. And if this weren’t
enough, even further emphasis is placed by the use of the tag word, eva – Urvaarukam-iva – stressing a
uniqueness and exclusivity to the identity of the Phenomenon.
It should be additionally noted that, in his elucidation on the mantra, Roop Sukhram, who holds
invaluable expertise in the field, cites the use of ruk (rather than ruka) indicating its meaning as “light,
splendor, brilliance”, and translating Urvaarukamiva as “Universal Light.” Both explanations observe the
proper grammar, retain the proper context and understanding, and result not only in a proper noun, but a
formal epithet, an invocation of Lord Shiva as the Ultimate Supreme – not a gourd.
The name Urvaarukamiva echoes the boundless profusion of Pushti with the profuse boundlessness of
Ruka; the inexorable, all-pervading inward presence of Sugandhim with the complete, exclusionless
outward engulfing of Urva. The result is that our consciousness, having been trained on the profoundly
imminent – the intimate – is now directed to stretch this inclusivity outward and beyond, further than we
thought possible. In this regard, the process of the Mrityunjay systematically leads us along an
incremental path to what is perhaps the most extreme, most sublime expression of the Supreme Being
humanly fathomable – and all in a manner that ensures that we have noticed along the way, Tat tvam asi,
“I am That.”
Literal: You copious Vastness
Direct: O Cosmic Lord, You of eternal expansion
The profundity of the extreme absolute, the ultimate supreme reality as the One Final Identity, leads us to
the recognition of God as the Oversoul, who’s nature is that of macrocosm. Everything that is, the visible
and the invisible, the concrete and the abstract, exists and operates according to microcosmic principal.
From waves to particles to molecules, to atoms, to cells, to organs, to bodies; from communities to
ecosystems to solar systems. Even imagination, concepts, institutions, values, ideas and dreams. Nothing
perceivable or unperceivable can be excluded. All are expressions of the One, all partake in the nature of
the One, all behave in the manner of the One, all are, together, only one.
Practical: proliferating Earth, Sky, Heavens, Cosmos
bandhanaan Mrityormukshiya ma’amritat
from the bonds of death free me to immortality
Bandhanaan (bondage) and mrityor (death) are explicit, and there hasn’t been contention in their
translation. But the interpretation of mukshiya ma’amritat (release me to immortality) is special. In even
the most casual of senses, the words moksha (liberation) and amrit (immortal) are traditionally colored by
very specific connotations.
The concept of moksha – another big subject for another time – is the last of the four purusharthas, the
four objectives of both human life and sadhana (spiritual practice) alike – for living is a spiritual practice.
After fulfilling the expression of the former three (dharma, artha, kama), this final objective deals with
Self actualization, the realization that the individual self is non-different from the absolute Self. Beyond
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the knowledge of intellectual understanding, it is the experience of oneness with the universe and of the
cosmos within one’s self. It is enlightenment and ultimate reunification with God. Amrit is a word well
known to all Indians since their childhood exposure to Indian mythology. It is immortality, yes, but in the
form of a nectar meant to be drunk. And the nectar was called “Amrit.” Immortality being understood to
refer to the condition of the changeless and eternal quality of absolute truth, absolute consciousness and
absolute blissfulness (Sat, Chit, Ananda), what a lovely and evocative representation, then, is nectar for
immortality. And it completes a beautiful thread of poetic metaphor, tied earlier to the fragrant blossom.
The implication of these is that the reference to death and to immortality is really pointing to duality in
that ultimate sense – the one final Truth of existence: Source and its expression. It is referring to the
impermanent and the permanent, the changing and the changeless, the seen and the unseen. To see only
the seen, to be limited to only our immediate experience of the world, is bondage. The bondage of death,
then, is being bound to the worldly. The mantra is not asking for bodily release from death to immortality,
but is proclaiming the ultimate freedom of the true eternal self (atman) by the amrit – the sweet liberation
of drinking of the nectar, of seeing the whole truth – the transcendent vision to see and to know both death
and immortality, and to see and to know them as the One.
Literal: from the bonds of death free me to immortality.
Direct: may I be released from the bondage of death to that nectar that is immortality.
Practical: may my vision be whole through the sweet freedom of divine unity.
I reverently honor the Lord of the Trinity,
infinitely abundant Nourisher, pervasive even as the blossom’s fragrance;
O Cosmic Lord, You of eternal expansion,
may I be released from the bondage of death to that nectar that is immortality.
OM TAT SAT
OM NAMAHA SHIVAAYA