Trimbakeshwar Stotram
त्र्यम्बकेश्वर स्तोत्रम्
What is the Trimbakeshwar Stotram and why is it chanted?
Trimbakeshwar Stotram The Trimbakeshwar Stotram brings together the Sahyadri-shirshe verse and the twelve-shrine listing line from Adi Shankaracharya's Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram, both naming Shiva as Tryambakeshwar on the bank of the Godavari, along with the stotram's shared phalashruti and the closely linked Mahamrityunjaya mantra. Devotees chant it to honor the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga near Nashik, seek relief from sin and fear of death, and mark occasions such as Mahashivratri, Shravan and the Simhastha Kumbh.
Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik in Maharashtra, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva and the place where the Godavari river is traditionally said to begin its course toward the sea. This page gathers the Sanskrit verses that name and praise this shrine directly, the Sahyadri-shirshe verse and the twelve-shrine roster line from Adi Shankaracharya’s Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram, the stotram’s shared closing phalashruti, and the Mahamrityunjaya mantra, whose own name Tryambaka is the epithet this temple carries. Each verse is given in Devanagari and plain Roman transliteration with a short meaning, followed by chanting guidance, benefits and the temple’s origin story centered on sage Gautama and the Godavari.
Trimbakeshwar Stotram Lyrics in Sanskrit and English
No standalone Trimbakeshwar-only ashtakam with a stable, widely attested text could be verified. In keeping with how this site presents the other eleven Jyotirlinga pages, the lyrics here are the two verses of Adi Shankaracharya's Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram that name Trimbakeshwar directly (the Sahyadri-shirshe dhyana verse and the Gautami-tate listing line) plus the stotram's shared phalashruti, cross-checked across sanskritdocuments.org and several independent Sanskrit-text sites. The Mahamrityunjaya mantra (Rig Veda 7.59.12) is included as a separate, clearly labeled fourth card because its own name, Tryambaka, is the epithet this Jyotirlinga bears, though it is not part of the Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram itself.
Dhyana Verse (Trimbakeshwar)
Sahyadri-shirshe vimale vasantam Godavari-tira-pavitra-deshe
Yad-darshanat patakam ashu nasham prayati tam Tryambakam Isham ide
सह्याद्रिशीर्षे विमले वसन्तं गोदावरीतीरपवित्रदेशे।
यद्दर्शनात्पातकमाशु नाशं प्रयाति तं त्र्यम्बकमीशमीडे॥
Meaning
This verse from Adi Shankaracharya's Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram describes Shiva seated on the pure summit of the Sahyadri range, on the sacred stretch of land bordering the Godavari river. It says a single sight of this form dissolves sin at once, and closes with a direct salutation to Tryambaka, the three-eyed Lord enshrined at Trimbakeshwar.
Varanasyam tu Vishvesham Tryambakam Gautami-tate
Himalaye tu Kedaram Ghushmesham cha Shivalaye
वाराणस्यां तु विश्वेशं त्र्यम्बकं गौतमीतटे।
हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये॥
Meaning
This is the line from the twelve-shrine roster of the same stotram that names Trimbakeshwar alongside Varanasi's Vishweshwar and the Himalayan Kedarnath. It places the Jyotirlinga on the bank of the Gautami, the older Puranic name for the Godavari, fixing the temple's location within the verse itself.
Phalashruti (Fruit of Recitation)
Etani jyotirlingani sayam pratah pathennarah
Sapta-janma-kritam papam smaranena vinashyati
एतानि ज्योतिर्लिङ्गानि सायं प्रातः पठेन्नरः।
सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति॥
Meaning
The closing verse of the stotram, shared across all twelve Jyotirlinga shrine-verses, states that reciting this roster morning and evening clears sin accumulated over seven lifetimes. It is the verse worshippers repeat after naming each of the twelve lights of Shiva, including Trimbakeshwar.
Om Tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushti-vardhanam
Urvarukam-iva bandhanan mrityor-mukshiya mamritat
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्॥
Meaning
Known as the Mahamrityunjaya or Tryambakam mantra, this Rig Vedic verse invokes Tryambaka, the three-eyed one, and asks to be released from death's grip the way a ripe cucumber falls free from its vine on its own, not cut away, toward immortality. Because Trimbakeshwar carries the very name Tryambaka, this mantra is chanted here for long life, healing and freedom from fear, alongside the shrine's own Jyotirlinga verses.
What the Trimbakeshwar Verses Mean
The Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga is set apart from the other eleven by its form: rather than a single tall linga, the sanctum holds a small, self-manifested (swayambhu) linga with three faces said to represent Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva together, kept under a jeweled crown that is shown to devotees on specific occasions. The Sahyadri-shirshe verse captures this by placing Shiva on the summit of the Sahyadri range in a pure, sin-cleansing form, while the Gautami-tate line fixes the shrine’s location on the Godavari, called Gautami in the older Puranic texts.
The phalashruti that closes the stotram is shared across all twelve verses and is usually recited after naming each Jyotirlinga in turn, not only Trimbakeshwar’s. The Mahamrityunjaya mantra stands apart from this stotram in origin, it comes from the Rig Veda, but its subject, Tryambaka, is the same three-eyed Shiva enshrined here, which is why devotees at Trimbakeshwar chant it for protection, healing and release from fear.
How and When to Chant the Trimbakeshwar Stotram
- – Sit facing east or north after a bath, with a lit lamp and, if available, an image of the Trimbakeshwar linga.
- – Begin with the Sahyadri-shirshe verse, reading slowly enough to place each Sanskrit syllable correctly rather than rushing the line.
- – Follow with the Gautami-tate listing verse, then close with the shared phalashruti as the stotram itself prescribes.
- – Chant the Mahamrityunjaya mantra a fixed number of times, commonly 11, 21 or 108, using a rudraksha mala if you keep count.
- – Offer water or bilva leaves, or a simple pranam, at the end, and sit in silence for a minute before rising.
- – Repeat at sunrise and sunset for a regular practice, or before any major journey, health concern or decision.
Benefits of Chanting the Trimbakeshwar Stotram
Traditional belief around the Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram and the Mahamrityunjaya mantra ascribes the following to sincere, regular recitation:
- : Relief from accumulated sin, which the phalashruti verse states is destroyed across seven lifetimes through simple remembrance.
- : Protection from untimely death and serious illness, the central prayer of the Mahamrityunjaya mantra.
- : A sense of steadiness and calm before travel, surgery or other events involving fear or uncertainty.
- : Connection to the Godavari's origin story and the Trimbakeshwar temple even for devotees who cannot visit in person.
- : Support during Simhastha Kumbh observances and other Godavari-related rituals performed at Kushavarta Kund.
- : A short, memorable way to include Trimbakeshwar in a daily or weekly Shiva practice alongside the other eleven Jyotirlingas.
The Origin Story of Trimbakeshwar and the Godavari
The Puranas trace Trimbakeshwar to the sage Gautama, who lived on Brahmagiri hill with his wife Ahalya during a long drought. When other sages, testing Gautama’s merit, sent an illusory cow to be struck by his hand, he was accused of gau-hatya, the killing of a cow, and shunned. Gautama prayed to Shiva for a way to cleanse himself, and Shiva agreed to release the Ganga from his matted hair onto Brahmagiri hill so its water could wash away the fault. That river, flowing from the hill, is the Godavari, and because it issued through Gautama’s penance it is also called the Gautami.
Shiva is said to have stayed on at Gautama’s request, taking the form of the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga so the sage and the river could remain under his direct presence. The point where the Godavari is traditionally recognized as beginning its visible course is Kushavarta Kund, a stepped tank near the temple lined with kusha grass, which pilgrims still treat as the river’s source for ritual bathing and ancestor rites. The present black-stone temple was rebuilt in the eighteenth century under Peshwa Nanasaheb, replacing an older structure, and the site today draws pilgrims for Shravan Somvar, Mahashivratri and the Simhastha Kumbh Mela that Nashik and Trimbakeshwar host together roughly once every twelve years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Trimbakeshwar Stotram a separate, standalone hymn?
Not as a single fixed text with one attested author. What is commonly presented as the Trimbakeshwar Stotram is drawn from Adi Shankaracharya's Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram, the verse naming Tryambaka on the Godavari, the twelve-shrine listing line, and the shared phalashruti, plus the closely associated Mahamrityunjaya mantra, which this page keeps in its own labeled card.
Why is the linga at Trimbakeshwar different from other Jyotirlingas?
The Trimbakeshwar linga is a small, self-manifested form with three faces representing Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, rather than a single tall shaft. It sits below a jeweled crown that is displayed to devotees on set days, which is part of why the temple is described as having its own distinct form among the twelve.
What is the connection between Trimbakeshwar and the Godavari river?
Trimbakeshwar sits at Brahmagiri hill, where the Godavari is traditionally held to originate through sage Gautama's penance, giving the river its older name Gautami. Kushavarta Kund, close to the temple, is the recognized starting point for ritual bathing in the river.
Why is Trimbakeshwar linked to Kaal Sarp puja?
Trimbakeshwar is one of the principal sites in India for Kaal Sarp Dosh Nivaran puja, Narayan Nagbali and related ancestor-appeasement rituals, performed here because of the temple's association with Shiva, the Godavari and Brahmagiri hill. If you want to check whether your own birth chart shows a Kaal Sarp yoga before planning such a ritual, this site's kaal sarp dosh calculator gives a free chart-based reading.
What does the Mahamrityunjaya mantra mean?
It asks Tryambaka, the three-eyed Shiva, to loosen the grip of death the way a ripe cucumber falls free from its vine on its own, rather than being cut away, and to lead the chanter toward immortality. It comes from the Rig Veda (7.59.12), independent of the Jyotirlinga stotram, but is chanted at Trimbakeshwar because the temple carries the same name.
How many times should the Mahamrityunjaya mantra be chanted?
Common counts are 11, 21 or 108 repetitions, often using a rudraksha mala to keep track, though even a single sincere recitation is considered meaningful. There is no single mandated number in the source texts.
When is the best time to visit or chant for Trimbakeshwar?
Mahashivratri and the Shravan month, especially its Mondays, are the most widely observed times, alongside the Simhastha Kumbh Mela that Trimbakeshwar and Nashik host together roughly every twelve years.
Is Trimbakeshwar the same as Tryambakeshwar?
Yes. Trimbakeshwar and Tryambakeshwar are two common transliterations of the same Sanskrit name, Tryambaka, meaning the three-eyed Lord, referring to the same Jyotirlinga near Nashik.
॥ ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे ॥