Mrityunjaya Manasika Puja Stotram

मृत्युञ्जयमानसिकपूजास्तोत्रम्

Mṛtyuñjayamānasikapūjāstotram

All 16 verses

Verse 1

कैलासे कमनीयरत्नखचिते कल्पद्रुमूले स्थितं कर्पूरस्फटिकेन्दुसुन्दरतनुं कात्यायनीसेवितम् गङ्गातुङ्गतरङ्गरञ्जितजटाभारं कृपासागरं कण्ठालंकृतशेषभूषणममुं मृत्युञ्जयं भावये ॥१॥

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कैलासे कमनीयरत्नखचिते कल्पद्रुमूले स्थितं: Seated at the root of the wish-fulfilling tree on lovely Kailasa inlaid with jewels.
कर्पूरस्फटिकेन्दुसुन्दरतनुं कात्यायनीसेवितम्: Of body fair as camphor, crystal, and moon, served by Katyayani.
गङ्गातुङ्गतरङ्गरञ्जितजटाभारं कृपासागरं: Whose matted locks are touched by Ganga's lofty waves, an ocean of mercy.
कण्ठालंकृतशेषभूषणममुं मृत्युञ्जयं भावये: Whose throat is adorned with the serpent; on him, Mrityunjaya, I meditate.

Meditation on the Lord at Kailasa fixes the mind on the deathless Self that appears as the conqueror of death. When the inner image is steady, the fear of mortality loosens its hold on consciousness.

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Verse 2

आगत्य मृत्युञ्जय चन्द्रमौले व्याघ्राजिनालंकृत शूलपाणे स्वभक्तसंरक्षणकामधेनो प्रसीद विश्वेश्वर पार्वतीश ॥२॥

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आगत्य मृत्युञ्जय चन्द्रमौले: Come, O Mrityunjaya, O moon-crested one.
व्याघ्राजिनालंकृत शूलपाणे: Adorned with tiger-skin, trident in hand.
स्वभक्तसंरक्षणकामधेनो: Wish-fulfilling cow for the protection of your devotees.
प्रसीद विश्वेश्वर पार्वतीश: Be gracious, O Lord of the universe, O consort of Parvati.

The devotee invites the Lord into the heart as one would welcome a guest to worship. Grace sought from Vishveshvara is the recognition that the Self alone protects and fulfils every true desire.

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Verse 3

भास्वन्मौक्तिकतोरणे मरकतस्तम्भायुधालंकृते सौधे धूपसुवासिते मणिमये माणिक्यदीपाञ्चिते ब्रह्मेन्द्रामरयोगिपुङ्गवगणैर्युक्ते च कल्पद्रुमैः श्रीमृत्युञ्जय सुस्थिरो भव विभो माणिक्यसिंहासने ॥३॥

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भास्वन्मौक्तिकतोरणे मरकतस्तम्भायुधालंकृते: In a hall with shining pearl archways and emerald pillars adorned with weapons.
सौधे धूपसुवासिते मणिमये माणिक्यदीपाञ्चिते: In a mansion fragrant with incense, jewelled, lit with ruby lamps.
ब्रह्मेन्द्रामरयोगिपुङ्गवगणैर्युक्ते च कल्पद्रुमैः: Surrounded by Brahma, Indra, gods, chief yogis, and wish-fulfilling trees.
श्रीमृत्युञ्जय सुस्थिरो भव विभो माणिक्यसिंहासने: O glorious Mrityunjaya, be firmly seated on the ruby lion-throne, O all-pervading Lord.

The jewelled assembly imagined in the mind is the purified intellect prepared for worship. When the Lord is enthroned there, the restless mind finds the steadiness that is its own deeper nature.

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Verse 4

मन्दारमल्लीकरवीरमाधवी पुन्नागनीलोत्पलचम्पकान्वितैः कर्पूरपाटीरसुवासितैर्जलै राधत्स्व मृत्युञ्जय पाद्यमुत्तमम् ॥४॥

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मन्दारमल्लीकरवीरमाधवी: With mandara, jasmine, oleander, and madhavi flowers.
पुन्नागनीलोत्पलचम्पकान्वितैः: Together with punnaga, blue lotus, and champaka.
कर्पूरपाटीरसुवासितैर्जलै: With waters fragrant with camphor and patira.
राधत्स्व मृत्युञ्जय पाद्यमुत्तमम्: Accept, O Mrityunjaya, the finest water for washing the feet.

Padya offered in the mind honours the feet of the Lord that are the ground of all movement. In Advaita, the feet stand for the support on which the universe rests, and that support is one's own Self.

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Verse 5

सुगन्धपुष्पप्रकरैः सुवासितै र्वियन्नदीशीतलवारिभिः शुभैः त्रिलोकनाथार्तिहरार्घ्यमादरा द्गृहाण मृत्युञ्जय सर्ववन्दित ॥५॥

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सुगन्धपुष्पप्रकरैः सुवासितै: With clusters of fragrant, sweet-scented flowers.
र्वियन्नदीशीतलवारिभिः शुभैः: And with auspicious, cool waters of heavenly rivers.
त्रिलोकनाथार्तिहरार्घ्यमादरा: With devotion, the arghya that removes the distress of the Lord of the three worlds.
द्गृहाण मृत्युञ्जय सर्ववन्दित: Accept it, O Mrityunjaya, worshipped by all.

Arghya is the offering of the purified mind back to its source. He who is worshipped by all is the consciousness in which the three worlds appear and dissolve.

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Verse 6

हिमाम्बुवासितैस्तोयैः शीतलैरतिपावनैः मृत्युञ्जय महादेव शुद्धाचमनमाचर ॥६॥

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हिमाम्बुवासितैस्तोयैः शीतलैरतिपावनैः: With cool, supremely purifying waters scented with snow-melt.
मृत्युञ्जय महादेव शुद्धाचमनमाचर: O Mrityunjaya, O Mahadeva, perform the pure ceremonial sipping.

Achamana symbolizes the cleansing of thought before worship. The Self needs no outer purification, yet the ritual trains the mind to return to its innate purity.

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Verse 7

गुडदधिसहितं मधुप्रकीर्णं सुघृतसमन्वितधेनुदुग्धयुक्तम् शुभकर मधुपर्कमाहर त्वं त्रिनयन मृत्युहर त्रिलोकवन्द्य ॥७॥

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गुडदधिसहितं मधुप्रकीर्णं: Mixed with jaggery and curd, strewn with honey.
सुघृतसमन्वितधेनुदुग्धयुक्तम्: Joined with fine ghee and milk of the wish-cow.
शुभकर मधुपर्कमाहर त्वं: O giver of auspiciousness, receive this madhuparka.
त्रिनयन मृत्युहर त्रिलोकवन्द्य: O three-eyed destroyer of death, worshipped by the three worlds.

Madhuparka, the sweet welcoming drink, signifies the joy with which the devotee greets the Lord. The three-eyed one who conquers death is the awareness that sees past, present, and future as one present light.

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Verse 8

पञ्चास्र शान्त पञ्चास्य पञ्चपातकसंहर पञ्चामृतस्नानमिदं कुरु मृत्युञ्जय प्रभो ॥८॥

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पञ्चास्र शान्त पञ्चास्य पञ्चपातकसंहर: O five-pointed, peaceful, five-faced destroyer of the five sins.
पञ्चामृतस्नानमिदं कुरु मृत्युञ्जय प्रभो: Take this bath in the five nectars, O Mrityunjaya, O Lord.

The five nectars bathe the five-faced Lord who dissolves the five great sins born of ignorance. When the elements of body and mind are offered in worship, their binding power weakens before the still Self.

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Verse 9

जगत्त्रयीख्यात समस्ततीर्थ समाहृतैः कल्मषहारिभिश्च स्नानं सुतोयैः समुदाचर त्वं मृत्युञ्जयानन्तगुणाभिराम ॥९॥

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जगत्त्रयीख्यात समस्ततीर्थ: From every sacred ford renowned in the three worlds.
समाहृतैः कल्मषहारिभिश्च: Gathered, and sin-destroying.
स्नानं सुतोयैः समुदाचर त्वं: With good waters perform the bath.
मृत्युञ्जयानन्तगुणाभिराम: O Mrityunjaya, charming with endless virtues.

Waters from every tirtha symbolize the gathering of all holy impulses into one act of surrender. The Lord of infinite virtues is bathed when the mind turns from scattered desire toward the single current of devotion.

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Verse 10

आनीतेनातिशुभ्रेण कौशेयेनामरद्रुमात् मार्जयामि जटाभारं शिव मृत्युञ्जय प्रभो ॥१०॥

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आनीतेनातिशुभ्रेण कौशेयेनामरद्रुमात्: With silk brought, exceedingly bright, from the immortal tree.
मार्जयामि जटाभारं शिव मृत्युञ्जय प्रभो: I dry your matted locks, O Shiva, O Mrityunjaya, O Lord.

Drying the Lord's locks after bath is the gentle care of one who knows the deity as near. The matted hair that holds Ganga is the ascetic mind; drying it is settling thought into quiet clarity.

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Verse 11

नानाहेमविचित्राणि चीरचीनाम्बराणि च विविधानि च दिव्यानि मृत्युञ्जय सुधारय ॥११॥

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नानाहेमविचित्राणि चीरचीनाम्बराणि च: Various wondrous silks and garments of gold and China silk.
विविधानि च दिव्यानि मृत्युञ्जय सुधारय: And diverse divine ones; clothe yourself well, O Mrityunjaya.

Garments offered to the Lord are the virtues that adorn the inner life. When the mind is dressed in purity and devotion, the formless Self appears clothed in beauty to the devotee's eye.

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Verse 12

विशुद्धमुक्ताफलजालरम्यं मनोहरं काञ्चनहेमसूत्रम् यज्ञोपवीतं परमं पवित्र माधत्स्व मृत्युञ्जय भक्तिगम्य ॥१२॥

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विशुद्धमुक्ताफलजालरम्यं: Lovely with a net of utterly pure pearls.
मनोहरं काञ्चनहेमसूत्रम्: A captivating golden sacred thread.
यज्ञोपवीतं परमं पवित्र: The supreme, most holy yajnopavita.
माधत्स्व मृत्युञ्जय भक्तिगम्य: Put it on, O Mrityunjaya, reached through devotion.

The sacred thread is the thread of mantra and knowledge that links the worshipper to the eternal. He who is reached through devotion alone shows that no ritual succeeds without the heart's turning inward.

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Verse 13

श्रीगन्धं घनसारकुङ्कुमयुतं कस्तूरिकापूरितं कालेयेन हिमाम्बुना विरचितं मन्दारसंवासितम् दिव्यं देवमनोहरं मणिमये पात्रे समारोपितं सर्वाङ्गेषु विलेपयामि सततं मृत्युञ्जय श्रीविभो ॥१३॥

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श्रीगन्धं घनसारकुङ्कुमयुतं कस्तूरिकापूरितं: Sacred sandal paste thick with saffron, filled with musk.
कालेयेन हिमाम्बुना विरचितं मन्दारसंवासितम्: Made with camphor-water and scented with mandara.
दिव्यं देवमनोहरं मणिमये पात्रे समारोपितं: Divine and delightful, placed in a jewelled vessel.
सर्वाङ्गेषु विलेपयामि सततं मृत्युञ्जय श्रीविभो: On every limb I anoint continually, O Mrityunjaya, O glorious Lord.

Sandal paste on every limb is the pervasion of divine fragrance through the whole being. When worship is mental, the anointing is the steady conviction that the Lord permeates body, breath, and thought.

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Verse 14

अक्षतैर्धवलैर्दिव्यैः सम्यक्तिलसमन्वितैः मृत्युञ्जय महादेव पूजयामि वृषध्वज ॥१४॥

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अक्षतैर्धवलैर्दिव्यैः सम्यक्तिलसमन्वितैः: With white, divine rice grains joined with sesame.
मृत्युञ्जय महादेव पूजयामि वृषध्वज: O Mrityunjaya, O Mahadeva, I worship you, O bull-bannered one.

Akshata offered with sesame marks auspicious intent without grasping. Worship of Vrishadhvaja is worship of the unmoving witness on which the whole world rides like a bull.

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Verse 15

चम्पकपङ्कजकुरवककुन्दैः करवीरमल्लिकाकुसुमैः विस्तारय निजमकुटं मृत्युञ्जय पुण्डरीकनयनाप्त ॥१५॥

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चम्पकपङ्कजकुरवककुन्दैः करवीरमल्लिकाकुसुमैः: With champaka, lotus, kuravaka, kunda, oleander, and jasmine flowers.
विस्तारय निजमकुटं मृत्युञ्जय पुण्डरीकनयनाप्त: Spread your crown, O Mrityunjaya, O lotus-eyed one, O beloved.

Flowers on the crown are thoughts offered at the seat of wisdom. The lotus-eyed Lord receives the finest blooms of a mind that has turned from worldliness toward his feet.

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Verse 16

माणिक्यपादुकाद्वन्द्वे मौनिहृत्पद्ममन्दिरे पादौ सत्पद्मसदृशौ मृत्युञ्जय निवेशय ॥१६॥

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माणिक्यपादुकाद्वन्द्वे मौनिहृत्पद्ममन्दिरे: On the pair of ruby sandals, in the sage's heart-lotus temple.
पादौ सत्पद्मसदृशौ मृत्युञ्जय निवेशय: Place your lotus-like feet, O Mrityunjaya.

The final act places the Lord's feet in the heart-lotus where the sage dwells in silence. When those feet rest there, the temple is complete: the Self is known as the ground of all worship.

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