Mrityormukshiya Maamrataat

oṃ tryámbakaṃ yajāmahe sughandhíṃ puṣṭivardhánam
urvārukamiva bandhánān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

Rigveda, arguably the oldest Hindu religious text introduces this thought provoking Mantr (hymn). Wikipedia says that Hindus believe the mantra is beneficial for mental, emotional, and physical health and consider it a moksha mantra which bestows longevity and immortality. Regardless of whether it can actually cure cancer or the deadly covid-19 disease, it does give me an oddly motivating tranquility.

I will now try to explain it literally and figuratively, both. oṃ tryámbakaṃ yajāmahe translates into I pray to (someone named) Tryambak. Tryambak is a reference to Lord Shiva, one of the three drivers of nature as per Hinduism. Lord Shiva is believed to deliver a merciful end to natural ecosystems that have broken down completely. While he is an archetype of rage, the rage comes from living in such anarchy. The materialisation of such rage in the form of complete annihilation of matter (pralay) is somewhat an amputation for nature. It painfully tears down ages of progress, but only to preserve what is still pure. It is quite interesting to note how the Lords are given many different names. Shiv is also known as Mahadev, Tryambak, Shankar. Since all these words mean something completely different and yet refer to the same object, this literary creativity is akin to “Aliasing” in programming. The alias hence betrays the context within which we are to think of this object. Lord Shiv was said to have three eyes, and hence the name Tryambak. This third eye is said to be responsible for (or is a metaphor of) intuition and premonition. Coming back to the Mantr, we are to focus on this supreme knowledge of the lord in this context. In more abstract terms, it asks us to submit to a higher source of sound and complete knowledge. Godel be damned.

sughandhíṃ puṣṭivardhánam literally translates into that which (who) is fragrant and nourishing. While theists will interpret this as another reference to Lord Shiv, an atheist can still think of this as a more abstract force of vitality. In fact, it refers to the previous source of Truth, of supreme knowledge. Lord Shiv with his third eye, is simply a personification of this “sight”. The unquestionable and ubiquitous system of understanding is what really nourishes us, gives us contentment. This is what we bow down to. It doesn’t have to be a blue idol, nor a stone in the ground. It is simply something that is correct, and relates to everything under the sun.

urvārukamiva bandhánān: like a bound cucumber. This is a phrase that stands out as excessively metaphoric, in my opinion. It could signify a complex dependence. The cucumber, that is much bigger than the plant, and yet is attached to it. Also, it derives its nutrition and sustains life through this attachment. However, it is still an attachment that restricts the vegetable from its purpose, its karm of reproduction. Overall, the theme of psychological freedom is re-entrant in all of mythology, and this matr is no exception.

mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt: liberate me from death, not from immortality. While this sounds as a childish wish-fulfilment/self-indulgence, it can be interpreted in several ways. The common denominator in all interpretations is two-fold. The foremost is the aversion to that which is inevitable–death. Death is not just the human decay, it the anti-thesis of creation. The aversion comes from the triviality of this decay. That which has a beginning must have an end. If complex interactions of forces/materials had to align for the formation of this matter, then it is not self-sustaining. If it is not self-sustaining, then it is only a matter of time before it ceases to exist. Inexplicably enough, the rational mind does not consider this triviality. Meditating on such profound words might help with this affliction. The other fundamental idea is that of the mirror of death, immortality. A state of equilibrium and stability. The equilibrium is not achieved through counteracting growth and decay, it is simply something that does not change. It always was, and always will be. Just as trivial as death. Since it does not change, it escapes the cerebrum as well. It is somewhat taken for granted. We hence must meditate on it explicitly.

Personally, when I put it all together with a pragmatic outlook, I am reminded of an optimistic reality. The inevitable downfall and decay must not cloud your vision, your judgement. Risks and dangers are real, but the resulting failure is inevitable. This triviality of outcome should be enough to convince you of making the journey. Even if you don’t charge ahead, you will meet the same end.

In contrast, it is not obvious to me as to what is it that is indeed immortal. Within my mental frame, it can only be my conviction, my ambitions, my karm. It is what makes me wake up, and also what makes me sleep. Yet, it is not strictly immortal, since it will die with me. However, my counter-argument is that any answer to the problem of immortality that I can comprehend, has to be a result of my mental setup, and hence will also end with the decay of my mind. Therefore, this is as good an answer as any.

I must follow my karm, my judgement without any fear of failure. Failure is inevitable. What are you gonna do, not train?!