ॐ त्रियम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनं,
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मोक्षिय मामृतात्.||
Om Trayambakam Yajamahe,
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam;
Urva Rukamiva Bandhanaan,
Mrityor Mokshiye Maamritat||
The Maha-mrityunjaya mantra Rig Veda 7.59 and the Yajur Veda 3.60 is one of the most sacred of the Hindu mantras and has been from time immemorial had its own unique place in the Hindu religion.
Translation:
Om. We worship and adore you, O three-eyed one, O Shiva. You are sweet gladness, the fragrance of life, who nourishes us, restores our health, and causes us to thrive. As, in due time, the stem of the cucumber weakens, and the gourd is freed from the vine, so free us from attachment and death, and do not withhold immortality.
ॐ oṁ = is a sacred/mystical syllable in Sanatan Dharma or Indian religions, i.e. Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism,[3]
त्र्यम्बकम् tryambakam = the three-eyed one (accusative case),
यजामहे yajāmahe = We worship, adore, honour, revere,
सुगन्धिम् sugandhim = sweet smelling, 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,
उर्वारुकमिव urvārukamiva = like the pumpkin (in the accusative case),
Note:- urvārukam: 'urva' means "vishal" or big and powerful or deadly. 'arukam' means 'disease'. Thus urvārukam means deadly and overpowering diseases. (The pumpkin interpretation given in various places is also correct for the word urvārukam, but not apt for this mantra). The diseases are also of three kinds caused by the influence (in the negative) of the three guṇas and are ignorance (avidyā), falsehood (asat, as even though Vishnu is everywhere, we fail to perceive Him and are guided by our sight and other senses) and weaknesses (ṣaḍripu, a constraint of this physical body and Shiva is all powerful).
बन्धनान् 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)
Note:- bandhanān: means bound down. Thus read with urvārukam iva, it means 'I am bound down just as by deadly and overpowering diseases'.
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय mṛtyormukṣīya = Free, liberate From death
मामृतात māmṛtāt = (give) me immortality, emancipation