Twameva Mata Cha Pita Twameva
Twameva Mata Cha Pita Twameva in English · English
Origin & Story
Traditional Sanskrit prayer · Traditional · Classical
This single verse is among the most widely recited prayers in the Hindu world — a complete act of surrender in four lines. By declaring God to be mother, father, friend, kinsman, knowledge, wealth and all, the devotee lets go of every lesser support and rests in the Divine alone. Simple enough for a child and deep enough for a sage, it closes countless pujas and aartis across India.
✦ As told in scripture
Its power is in its simplicity: to say with feeling 'you alone are my all' is to set down every burden of dependence and fear, and many recite it at life's hardest moments to feel the presence of the One who is mother, father and friend at once.
Listen & Chant Along
Complete Text with Meaning
Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited
Tvameva mata cha pita tvameva Tvameva bandhushcha sakha tvameva
Meaning:You alone are my mother, and you alone my father; you alone my kinsman, and you alone my friend.
Tvameva vidya dravinam tvameva Tvameva sarvam mama deva deva
Meaning:You alone are knowledge, and you alone my wealth; you alone are my all, O God of gods.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Click any word to hear its pronunciation
Benefits of Chanting Twameva Mata Cha Pita Twameva
A short and beloved prayer of total surrender (sharanagati), declaring God to be one's mother, father, friend, knowledge, wealth and all.
Recited to cultivate complete trust and devotion, and to steady the heart in the feeling that the Divine is one's only refuge.
Believed to bring peace, humility and protection, dissolving the sense of being alone or without support.
Often recited at the close of puja and aarti, before meals, at the start of a journey, and taught to children as a first prayer.
Universal in spirit — addressed to one's chosen deity (Ishta Devata), most often Vishnu, Krishna or the Guru.
How to Chant Twameva Mata Cha Pita Twameva
Recite the verse with folded hands and a feeling of complete surrender, offering yourself and all your concerns to God as mother, father, friend and all. It is commonly chanted at the end of puja or aarti, and is a simple, powerful prayer to learn by heart and teach to children.
Frequently Asked Questions
You May Also Like
ॐ
Read the full Twameva Mata Cha Pita Twameva with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts