Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Mantra
Meaning, pronunciation and long-form chant of the Trimbakeshwar verse
Trimbakeshwar stands near the source of the Godavari in the Sahyadri hills. This verse names Shiva there as Tryambaka, the three-eyed — and says that wrongdoing falls away simply at the sight of him.
Jyotirlinga mantra — the Trimbakeshwar verse of the Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga Stotram · 2h 31m chant
Verse 8 of 12 — part of the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram — all 12 verses.
Listen
This is Spiritual Awakening's own long-form recording — the official way to listen. There is no separate audio hosted on this page.
Best suited for: Wanting to begin again after a wrong turn · Practice tied to darshan rather than ritual · Quiet daily repetition
Sacred text
Devanagari
सह्याद्रिशीर्षे विमले वसन्तं गोदावरीतीरपवित्रदेशे। यद्दर्शनात्पातकमाशु नाशं प्रयाति तं त्र्यम्बकमीशमीडे॥
IAST transliteration
Sahyādriśīrṣe Vimale Vasantaṃ Godāvarītīrapavitradeśe | Yaddarśanātpātakamāśu Nāśaṃ Prayāti Taṃ Tryambakamīśamīḍe ||
Simple pronunciation
Sah-yaad-ri-sheer-she Vi-ma-le Va-san-tam Go-daa-va-ree-tee-ra-pa-vit-ra-de-she; Yad-dar-sha-naat-paa-ta-ka-maa-shu Naa-sham Pra-yaa-ti Tam Tryam-ba-ka-mee-sha-mee-de
Meaning
I praise the three-eyed Lord Tryambaka, who dwells on the pure crest of the Sahyadri in the holy land by the Godavari's bank, at whose sight wrongdoing swiftly falls away.
- Literal meaning
- Dwelling on the spotless crest of the Sahyadri, in the sacred region on the bank of the Godavari, by the seeing of whom wrongdoing swiftly goes to destruction — I praise that three-eyed Lord.
- Devotional interpretation
- The verse makes one clear claim: the very sight of Trimbakeshwar swiftly undoes wrongdoing. Its emphasis is the purifying power that tradition has long associated with darshan — the meeting with the divine held as itself a cleansing.
Word-by-word meaning
| Word | IAST | Literal meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| सह्याद्रिशीर्षे | sahyādri-śīrṣe | on the crest of the Sahyadri | The Western Ghats range in Maharashtra. |
| विमले | vimale | spotless, pure | The clarity of the high, unspoilt place. |
| वसन्तं | vasantaṃ | dwelling | His settled presence there. |
| गोदावरीतीर | godāvarī-tīra | the bank of the Godavari | The river rises near Trimbakeshwar. |
| पवित्रदेशे | pavitra-deśe | in the holy region | The whole district counted as sacred, not just the shrine. |
| यद्दर्शनात् | yad-darśanāt | from the sight of whom | Darśana — seeing and being seen by the deity. |
| पातकम् | pātakam | wrongdoing, grave fault | A strong word for moral failing. |
| आशु नाशं प्रयाति | āśu nāśaṃ prayāti | swiftly goes to destruction | Not slowly earned away — quickly undone. |
| तं त्र्यम्बकमीशमीडे | taṃ tryambakam īśam īḍe | I praise that three-eyed Lord | Tryambaka — 'three-eyed', a very old epithet of Rudra-Shiva. |
सह्याद्रिशीर्षेsahyādri-śīrṣe
- Literal meaning
- on the crest of the Sahyadri
- Explanation
- The Western Ghats range in Maharashtra.
विमलेvimale
- Literal meaning
- spotless, pure
- Explanation
- The clarity of the high, unspoilt place.
वसन्तंvasantaṃ
- Literal meaning
- dwelling
- Explanation
- His settled presence there.
गोदावरीतीरgodāvarī-tīra
- Literal meaning
- the bank of the Godavari
- Explanation
- The river rises near Trimbakeshwar.
पवित्रदेशेpavitra-deśe
- Literal meaning
- in the holy region
- Explanation
- The whole district counted as sacred, not just the shrine.
यद्दर्शनात्yad-darśanāt
- Literal meaning
- from the sight of whom
- Explanation
- Darśana — seeing and being seen by the deity.
पातकम्pātakam
- Literal meaning
- wrongdoing, grave fault
- Explanation
- A strong word for moral failing.
आशु नाशं प्रयातिāśu nāśaṃ prayāti
- Literal meaning
- swiftly goes to destruction
- Explanation
- Not slowly earned away — quickly undone.
तं त्र्यम्बकमीशमीडेtaṃ tryambakam īśam īḍe
- Literal meaning
- I praise that three-eyed Lord
- Explanation
- Tryambaka — 'three-eyed', a very old epithet of Rudra-Shiva.
Translations are prepared with editorial review against the Sanskrit text, transliteration and English master meaning. Sanskrit words may carry layers of meaning that no single translation can fully express.
How to chant
Preparation
- Sit as though before an image, even if there is none in the room.
- Let the eyes close slowly rather than snapping shut — this verse is about seeing.
Pronunciation notes
- Yaddarśanātpātakamāśu — a dense run; the pivot word is darśana, 'seeing'. Find it and the rest follows.
- Tryambakam — 'tryam-ba-kam', three syllables, not four.
How many times
Because the verse says one sight is enough, some chant it only once, deliberately. Others keep a small round of three or nine. Neither is more correct.
To close
Open the eyes before you finish the last breath, rather than after.
How to use the recording
Chanting along
Follow along, giving the word darśanāt a little more weight than its neighbours.
Meditation
Hold the third eye — a seeing that goes past the surface of things, including your own.
Prayer or pūjā
Fitting when you want to be seen rather than to explain yourself.
Sleep listening
Calm and even; suits the last part of the evening.
Morning practice
The Godavari rises near this shrine, which makes it a good verse for beginnings.
Background atmosphere
Unobtrusive enough for reading or writing.
Background & sourcesClassification, origin, historical context, symbolism, intentions & occasions
What kind of sacred text is this?
This is chanted as a mantra, and it helps to know exactly what it is: textually it is verse 8 of the Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga Stotram, a twelve-verse hymn in which each verse salutes one Jyotirlinga. Its protective, settling feeling comes from that devotion rather than from a limb-by-limb protective hymn. Chanted alone it stands complete as a salutation to Trimbakeshwar; read in sequence with the other eleven it becomes a pilgrimage in sound. You can read the whole hymn on the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram — all 12 verses page.
Origin and textual source
- Tradition / work
- Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga Stotram
- Section
- Verse 8 of 12 — the Trimbakeshwar verse
- Attribution
- Traditionally attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya
- Variants
- Spellings and word-splits vary slightly between printed editions of the stotra.
Historical and devotional context
Trimbakeshwar lies near Nashik, close to the source of the Godavari — one of the great rivers of the Deccan. The shrine is also known for its association with the Kumbh Mela held at Nashik, and its linga is traditionally described as having three faces.
Devotees come both for the Jyotirlinga and for rites performed at the river's source. The verse is chanted on the way, and by those who cannot travel but wish to take darshan in mind.
Symbolism and inner meaning
- The three eyes: ordinary sight doubled by an inner seeing that misses nothing.
- A river's source: beginnings, and the idea that purification starts where the water is cleanest.
- Darshan as sufficient: the meeting itself does the work.
Traditionally associated intentions
Traditional purpose
- Salutation to Shiva as worshipped at Trimbakeshwar
- Devotional remembrance of the twelve Jyotirlingas
- Recitation as part of the complete stotra
Devotional intentions
- Devotion
- Surrender
- Reverence for the sacred shrines
- Inner steadiness
This recording is for
- Long-form devotional chanting
- Meditation
- Calm listening before sleep
- A quiet devotional atmosphere at home
A note on wellbeing: The verse treats being seen as itself sufficient, which some find eases the pressure to perform devotion correctly. It is devotional practice, not treatment.
When is it traditionally chanted?
Monday (Somvār) and Pradosha
Days traditionally kept for Shiva worship. The verse may be chanted on any day with devotion — these are customs, not conditions.
Maha Shivaratri
Many devotees recite the complete twelve-verse stotra through the night of Shivaratri.
The Nashik Kumbh Mela and Godavari rites
Trimbakeshwar sits near the Godavari's source and is central to the Nashik Kumbh. Rites for ancestors are commonly performed here.
Related mantras
2h 34mKarpur Gauram Karunavataram — Shiva Stuti
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारम् भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानी सहितं नमामि ॥
2h 25mOm Shiva Om Shiva — Paratpara Shiva
ॐ शिव ॐ शिव, परात्परा शिव ओङ्कार शिव तव शरणम् । नमामि शङ्कर भजामि शङ्कर उमामहेश्वर तव शरणम् ॥
2h 35mMahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Mantra
अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारं मुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम्। अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थं वन्दे महाकाल-महासुरेशम्॥