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Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra - 108 Times Chanting By 21 Brahmins

*1*
With his neck, consecrated by the flow of water flowing from the 
thick forest-like locks of hair, and on the neck, where the lofty snake 
is hanging garland, and the Damaru drum making the sound of 
Damat Damat Damat Damat, Lord Siva did the auspicious dance of 
Tandava and may He shower prosperity on us all.

*2*
I have a very deep interest in Lord Siva, whose head is glorified by 
the rows of moving waves of the celestial river Ganga, agitating in 
the deep well of his hair-locks, and who has the brilliant fire flaming 
on the surface of his forehead, and who has the crescent moon as a 
jewel on his head. 

*3*
May my mind seek happiness in the Lord Siva, in whose mind all the 
living beings of the glorious universe exist, who is the sportive 
companion of Parvati (daughter of the mountain king), who controls 
invincible hardships with the flow of his compassionate look, who is 
all-pervasive (the directions are his clothes).

*4*
May I seek wonderful pleasure in Lord Siva, who is supporter 
of all life, who with his creeping snake with reddish brown hood and 
with the luster of his gem on it spreading out variegated colors on the 
beautiful faces of the maidens of directions, who is covered with a 
glittering upper garment made of the skin of a huge intoxicated 
elephant. 

*5*
May Lord Siva give us prosperity, who has the moon (relative of the 
Cakora bird) as his head-jewel, whose hair is tied by the red snake- 
garland, whose foot-stool is grayed by the flow of dust from the 
flowers from the rows of heads of all the Gods, Indra/Vishnu and others. 

*6*
May we get the wealth of Siddhis from Siva's locks of hair, which 
devoured the God of Love with the sparks of the fire flaming in His 
forehead, who is bowed by all the celestial leaders, who is beautiful 
with a crescent moon 

*7*
My interest is in Lord Siva, who has three eyes, who has offered the 
powerful God of Love into the fire, flaming Dhagad Dhagad on the 
flat surface of his forehead who is the sole expert artist of drawing 
decorative lines on the tips of breasts of Parvati, the daughter of 
the mountain king. 

*8*
May Lord Siva give us prosperity, who bears the burden of this 
universe, who is lovely with the moon, who is red wearing the skin, 
who has the celestial river Ganga, whose neck is dark as midnight 
of new moon night covered by many layers of clouds. 


*9*
I pray to Lord Siva, whose neck is tied with the luster of the temples 
hanging on the neck with the glory of the fully-bloomed blue lotuses 
which looked like the blackness (sins) of the universe, who is the 
killer of Manmatha, who destroyed Tripuras, who destroyed the 
bonds of worldly life, who destroyed the sacrifice, who destroyed the 
demon Andhaka, the destroyer of the elephants, and who controlled 
the God of death, Yama. 


*10*
I pray to Lord Siva, who has bees flying all over because of the sweet 
honey from the beautiful bunch of auspicious Kadamba flowers, who 
is the killer of Manmatha, who destroyed Tripuras, who destroyed the 
bonds of worldly life, who destroyed the sacrifice, who destroyed the 
demon Andhaka, the killer of the elephants, and who controlled the 
God of death, Yama. 

*11*
Lord Siva, whose dance of Tandava is in tune with the series of loud 
sounds of drum making Dhimid Dhimid sounds, who has the fire 
on the great forehead, the fire that is spreading out because of the 
breath of the snake wandering in whirling motion in the glorious sky. 


*12*
When will I worship Lord Sadasiva (eternally auspicious) God, with 
equal vision towards the people and an emperor, and a blade of grass 
and lotus-like eye, towards both friends and enemies, towards the 
valuable gem and some lump of dirt, towards a snake and a garland 
and towards varied ways of the world 

*13*
When will I be happy, living in the hollow place near the celestial 
river, Ganga, carrying the folded hands on my head all the time, with 
my bad thinking washed away, and uttering the mantra of Lord Siva 
and devoted in the God with glorious forehead with vibrating eyes. 

*14*
Whoever reads, remembers and says this best stotra as it is said here, 
gets purified for ever, and obtains devotion in the great Guru Siva. 
For this devotion, there is no other way. Just the mere thought of 
Lord Siva indeed removes the delusion.

Shiva Tandava Stotram

The Gayatri Mantra has been chronicled in the Rig Veda, which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and the mantra may have been chanted for many centuries before that. 

For ages, this beautiful prayer has seemed mysterious to the Western mind and was out of reach even for most Hindus. It was a well guarded secret, withheld from women and from those outside the Hindu Brahmin community. 

Today, it is chanted, meditated to, and sung around the world with reverence and love.  It is often compared to The Lord’s Prayer in significance and impact.  

The beautiful and soothing ancient sounds, the flowing rhythmic patterns, and the powerful intent make the Gayatri Mantra a wonderful part of one’s daily spiritual practice. Because it is an earnest and heartfelt appeal to the Supreme Being for enlightenment, it can be universally applied.  It really doesn’t matter what your religion, your color or your ethnicity is – what matters is your intent, and your authenticity, and your willingness to be moved.

The ancient Hindu scriptures describe how the sage Vishwamitra was given the Gayatri mantra by the Supreme Being as a reward for his many years of deep penance and meditation.  This was to be a gift for all humanity.

It is said that this sacred prayer spirals through the entire universe from the heart of the chanter, appealing for peace and divine wisdom for all.

The Gayatri Mantra inspires wisdom in us.  In very basic but beautiful language, it says "May the divine light of the Supreme Being illuminate our intellect, to lead us along a path of righteousness".  

The Vedas say:

To chant the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the chanter.
To listen to the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the listener.
But the mantra does more, as I found out. It opens up your heart. And how well we know, when both our minds and our hearts open, we open ourselves up for new possibilities.

For many devout Hindus, the Gayatri is seen as a Divine awakening of the individual mind and the individual soul – Atman -- and within it, a way to Union with the collective consciousness - Brahman. Understanding and simply loving the essence of the Gayatri Mantra is considered by many to be one of the most powerful ways to touching God. 

One interpretation is that the word Gayatri is derived from the words:

gaya, meaning “vital energies” and
trâyate, meaning “preserves, protects, gives deliverance, grants liberation”. 
So, the two words "Gayatri Mantra" might be translated as “a prayer of praise that awakens the vital energies and gives liberation and deliverance from ignorance”. 

The shorter form of the Gayatri is practiced far more commonly:

“OM BUHR, BHUVA, SWAHA
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of Sin and Ignorance;
May He open our hearts and enlighten our Intellect.

The longer version is more profound.

“OM BHUR, OM BHUVAHA, OM SWAHA, OM MAHAHA, OM JANAHA, OM TAPAHA, OM SATYAM
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

According to the Vedas, there are seven realms or spheres or planes of existence, each more spiritually advanced than the previous one.  It is written that through spiritual awareness and development, we can progressively move through these realms and ultimately merge with the Supreme Being. Many Buddhist teachings have also referred to these seven realms. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayatri_Mantra

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