Prayer of the Day

Prayer from Rig Veda

ऋषि    :    मैत्रावरुणिर्वसिष्ठ
दॆवता    :    रुद्र
छन्दस्    :    अनुष्टुप्

ॐ

त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहॆ सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।
उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान्मृ॒त्यॊर्मु॑क्षीय॒ मामृतात्॑ ॥ ७.५९.१२ ॥

ॐ

 

Mantra as Romanized text

 
RuShi    :    Maitravarunirvashishtha
Aspect Hailed:    Rudra
Chandas    :    Anushtup

Om

tryambakaM yajAmahE sugandhiM puShTivardhanam |
urvArukamiva bandhanAnmRutyOrmukShIya mAmRutAt || 7.59.12 ||

( try ambakaM yajAmahE sugandhiM puShTi vardhanam |
urvArukam iva bandhanAn mRutyOr mukShIya ma amRutAt |||   )

Om

Meaning of the Prayer Mantra:

 We worship the Three-eyed! The Fragrant! The Nourisher!
May I be liberated from the death (birth-death cycle),
like the cucumber that gets (liberate) from the bondage!
Not from the Eternal Bliss!

 Notes: 

1. tryambaka - three eyed (ambaka - eye); yajAmahE - invoke; 
urvArukam - cucumber.

2.  sugandhiM 
Fragrance - Here it refers to the Virtuous Glory of Lord Shiva that spreads
c.f. பழியில் புகழாய் - சம்பந்தர்

3.  puShTi vardhanam 
Nourisher. 

Lord Shiva gave us this life. He is the One, Who nourishes us
- providing body, instruments, worlds and enjoyments (tanu, karaNa, bhuvana, bhoga).
c.f. புல்லுயிர்க்கும் பூட்சி புணர்த்தாய் போற்றி - அப்பர்

4.  urvArukam iva bandhanAn mRutyOr mukShIya 
The cucumber grows attached to the creeper. 
However, when it gets ripe, it gets separated from the bond that
holds it with the creeper. 

The same way, we are attached to the birth-death cycle or Samsara.
We are attached to it because, we need to grow - in maturity to enjoy the Bliss Lord Shiva gives.
As we get the maturity, the bondage with the birth-death cycle is not required
and we get liberated. 

5.  ma amRutAt 
Not removed from Bliss!
We seek the liberation from bondage, the death, the Samsara.
However, that liberation should also provide the Bliss.
Liberation is not just removal from the distressful worldly bondage.
It is an active rejoicement of the Bliss. 
This is the Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy.

For getting that maturity and liberation this is the prayer to the Three-eyed Lord,
Who has been nourishing us! Waiting to provide Eternal Bliss!

6. Rig Vidhana (2.314-15) recommends that one, who does the japa of this mantra
for three nights, taking only Payasam with appropriate austerity, will live 100 fulfilled years,
by Mahadeva's Grace.

7. This is a very holy mantra (called Maha Mrutyunjaya mantra) that fulfils the purpose of our life. 
It liberates us!!