shivamrityunjayadeath-conqueringmarkandeya

මහාමෘත්යුංජය ස්තෝත්රම්

महामृत्युंजय स्तोत्रम् in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Mondays, Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Brahma Muhurta, or at the bedside of the ill·📜 Traditional Shaiva stotra (attributed to Sage Markandeya)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Traditional Shaiva stotra (attributed to Sage Markandeya) · Attributed to Markandeya Rishi · Ancient / classical

This death-conquering hymn is traditionally linked to Sage Markandeya, the boy-sage who overcame Yama through devotion to Shiva and was blessed with immortality. The stotra distils that fearlessness into a litany of Shiva's names — Rudra, Pashupati, Sthanu, Nilakantha, Kalanashana — each verse sealing the bow with the rhetorical question 'Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati', 'what can death do to me?', the cry of a soul wholly sheltered in the Lord.

✦ As told in scripture

It is told that when the noose of Yama fell upon young Markandeya, Lord Shiva sprang from the Lingam and drove death away, granting the boy eternal youth. From this triumph flows the conviction behind this stotra: that the devotee who bows to Shiva with the words 'what can death do to me?' is placed beyond the reach of untimely death, and many recite it at sickbeds reporting peace and recovery.

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Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

රුද්රං පශුපතිං ස්ථාණුං නීලකණ්ඨමුමාපතිම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..1..

Rudram Pashupatim Sthanum Nilakantham Umapatim। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥1॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — रुद्र, पशुपति, स्थाणु, नीलकण्ठ, उमापति को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 2

නීලකණ්ඨං කාලමූර්තිං කාලජ්ඤං කාලනාශනම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..2..

Nilakantham Kalamurtim Kalajnam Kalanashanam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥2॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — नीलकण्ठ, कालमूर्ति, कालज्ञ, कालनाशक को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 3

නීලකණ්ඨං විරූපාක්ෂං නිර්මලං නිලයප්රදම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..3..

Nilakantham Virupaksham Nirmalam Nilayapradam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥3॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — नीलकण्ठ, विरूपाक्ष, निर्मल, निलयप्रद को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 4

වාමදේවං මහාදේවං ලෝකනාථං ජගද්ගුරුම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..4..

Vamadevam Mahadevam Lokanatham Jagadgurum। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥4॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — वामदेव, महादेव, लोकनाथ, जगद्गुरु को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 5

දේවදේවං ජගන්නාථං දේවේශං වෘෂභධ්වජම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..5..

Devadevam Jagannatham Devesham Vrishabhadhvajam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥5॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — देवदेव, जगन्नाथ, देवेश, वृषभध्वज को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 6

ගංගාධරං මහාදේවං සර්පාභරණභූෂිතම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..6..

Gangadharam Mahadevam Sarpabharana-Bhushitam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥6॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — गंगाधर, महादेव, सर्पों के आभूषण से सुशोभित को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 7

ත්ර්යක්ෂං චතුර්භුජං ශාන්තං ජටාමුකුටධාරිණම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..7..

Tryaksham Chaturbhujam Shantam Jata-Mukuta-Dharinam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥7॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — त्रिनेत्र, चतुर्भुज, शान्त, जटामुकुटधारी को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 8

භස්මෝද්ධූලිතසර්වාඞ්ගං නාගාභරණභූෂිතම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..8..

Bhasmoddhulita-Sarvangam Nagabharana-Bhushitam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥8॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — जिनके सर्वांग भस्म से धूलित हैं, नागों के आभूषण से सुशोभित को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 9

අනන්තමව්යයං ශාන්තමක්ෂමාලාධරං හරම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..9..

Anantam-Avyayam Shantam-Akshamala-Dharam Haram। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥9॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — अनन्त, अव्यय, शान्त, अक्षमालाधारी हर को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 10

ආනන්දං පරමං නිත්යං කෛවල්යපදදායිනම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..10..

Anandam Paramam Nityam Kaivalya-Pada-Dayinam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥10॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — परम नित्य आनन्द, कैवल्यपद देने वाले को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 11

ස්වර්ගාපවර්ගදාතාරං සෘෂ්ටිස්ථිත්යන්තකාරිණම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..11..

Svargapavarga-Dataram Srishti-Sthity-Anta-Karinam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥11॥

Meaning:मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ — स्वर्ग और अपवर्ग दोनों के दाता, सृष्टि-स्थिति-संहार के कर्ता को। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Verse 12

කල්පායුර්දේහි මේ පුණ්යං යාවදායුරරෝගතාම්. නමාමි ශිරසා දේවං කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති..12..

Kalpayur-Dehi Me Punyam Yavad-Ayur-Arogatam। Namami Shirasa Devam Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati॥12॥

Meaning:हे प्रभु, मुझे कल्प के समान दीर्घ आयु, पुण्य और जीवनपर्यन्त आरोग्य प्रदान करें — मैं उस देव को सिर झुकाकर प्रणाम करता हूँ। फिर मृत्यु मेरा क्या कर सकती है?

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

රුද්රම්🔊RudramRudra — the fierce roarer, the destroyer of suffering

පශුපතිම්🔊PashupatimPashupati — Lord of all living beings

ස්ථාණුම්🔊SthanumSthanu — the firm, immovable, eternal pillar (the unchanging absolute)

නීලකණ්ඨම්🔊NilakanthamThe blue-throated one (who held the halahala poison in his throat to save creation)

උමාපතිම්🔊UmapatimThe Lord (consort) of Uma (Parvati)

නමාමි ශිරසා දේවම්🔊Namami Shirasa DevamI bow my head to that God

කිං නෝ මෘත්යුඃ කරිෂ්යති🔊Kim No Mrityuh KarishyatiWhat then can death do to us? — the fearless refrain ending every verse

කාලමූර්තිම්🔊KalamurtimThe very embodiment of Time

කාලජ්ඤම්🔊KalajnamThe knower of Time (and of the right moment)

කාලනාශනම්🔊KalanashanamThe destroyer of Time (and hence of death)

විරූපාක්ෂම්🔊VirupakshamThe one with the odd (third) eye / many-formed eye

නිලයප්රදම්🔊NilayapradamThe giver of the final abode (refuge, liberation)

වාමදේවම්🔊VamadevamVamadeva — one of the five faces of Shiva, the beautiful and gracious aspect

ජගද්ගුරුම්🔊JagadgurumThe world-teacher (preceptor of the universe)

වෘෂභධ්වජම්🔊VrishabhadhvajamHe whose banner bears the bull (Nandi)

ගංගාධරම්🔊GangadharamThe bearer of the Ganga (in his matted locks)

සර්පාභරණභූෂිතම්🔊Sarpabharana-BhushitamAdorned with serpents as ornaments

ත්ර්යක්ෂම්🔊TryakshamThe three-eyed one

ජටාමුකුටධාරිණම්🔊Jata-Mukuta-DharinamWearing a crown of matted locks

භස්මෝද්ධූලිතසර්වාඞ්ගම්🔊Bhasmoddhulita-SarvangamAll his limbs smeared with sacred ash

අක්ෂමාලාධරම්🔊Akshamala-DharamHolding the rosary (rudraksha mala)

කෛවල්යපදදායිනම්🔊Kaivalya-Pada-DayinamThe giver of the state of kaivalya (absolute liberation)

ස්වර්ගාපවර්ගදාතාරම්🔊Svargapavarga-DataramThe bestower of both heaven (svarga) and liberation (apavarga)

කල්පායුර්දේහි මේ පුණ්යං යාවදායුරරෝගතාම්🔊Kalpayur-Dehi Me Punyam Yavad-Ayur-ArogatamGrant me a long life of an aeon (kalpa), merit, and freedom from disease for the whole of my life

Benefits of Chanting महामृत्युंजय स्तोत्रम्

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Recited for protection from untimely and accidental death, like its companion the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

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Each verse's refrain 'Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati' instils profound fearlessness toward death

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Invokes Shiva as Kalanashana — the destroyer of Time itself

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Prayed for health, longevity (kalpayuh) and lifelong freedom from disease (arogata)

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A beautiful meditation on the many names and forms of Shiva, deepening devotion

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Bestows both worldly wellbeing (svarga) and ultimate liberation (apavarga/kaivalya)

How to Chant महामृत्युंजय स्तोत्रम्

Repetitions11times

Best TimeMondays, Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Brahma Muhurta, or at the bedside of the ill

Sit facing east or north before an image or Lingam of Shiva, ideally with a rudraksha mala. Recite the verses steadily, dwelling on the refrain 'Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati' as a heartfelt affirmation of fearless surrender. It is often chanted together with, or after, the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra (Om Tryambakam) for healing. During serious illness it is recited daily; for the dying, it is chanted at the bedside to bring peace and grace.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete महामृत्युंजय स्तोत्रम् written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is a Sanskrit hymn to Lord Shiva, traditionally attributed to Sage Markandeya, beginning 'Rudram Pashupatim Sthanum Nilakantham Umapatim'. Each verse salutes Shiva by his names and ends with the refrain 'Namami Shirasa Devam, Kim No Mrityuh Karishyati' — 'I bow my head to that God; what then can death do to me?'

The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is the single Vedic verse 'Om Tryambakam Yajamahe' from the Rigveda. The Maha Mrityunjaya Stotram is a separate, longer hymn of many verses ('Rudram Pashupatim Sthanum') attributed to Markandeya. Both are dedicated to Shiva as the conqueror of death and are often recited together.

Markandeya was a young sage destined to die at sixteen. On that day he embraced the Shiva Lingam in devotion; when Yama, the god of death, cast his noose, Shiva burst forth and saved him, granting him deathlessness. Hymns conquering death, including this stotra, are associated with Markandeya's victory over Yama.

It is chanted for protection from untimely death, for recovery from illness, for longevity and for fearlessness. Mondays, Pradosham and Maha Shivaratri are especially auspicious. It is also recited at the bedside of the seriously ill and the dying to invoke Shiva's grace and a peaceful, fearless state.