Tvameva Mata (Universal Prayer)
त्वमेव माता (सार्वभौमिक प्रार्थना)
Deity: Supreme Divine (Universal)
Source: Traditional Hindu Prayer (Pandava Gita)
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव। त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव। त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव। त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव।।
Transliteration
Tvameva Mātā Cha Pitā Tvameva Tvameva Bandhush-Cha Sakhā Tvameva Tvameva Vidyā Draviṇaṃ Tvameva Tvameva Sarvaṃ Mama Deva Deva
Meaning
You alone are my mother and father. You alone are my relative and friend. You alone are knowledge and wealth. You are my everything, O Lord of Lords.
Significance
Tvameva Mātā Cha Pitā Tvameva is a cherished prayer of total surrender (śaraṇāgati), declaring the Divine to be one's mother, father, kin, friend, knowledge, and wealth — one's very all. Voicing the bhakti ideal of God as the sole refuge, it is widely chanted to conclude pūjā as an offering of the self.
Benefits
- Deepens devotion (bhakti) and a spirit of complete surrender to the Divine
- Eases ego, anxiety, and the sense of being alone by resting all in God
- Traditionally chanted to conclude pūjā and āratī as an offering of the self
- Cultivates gratitude, trust, and inner security amid life's changes
- Reframes every relationship and need as ultimately fulfilled by the Lord
How to Chant
- Stand or sit before the deity with folded hands and a devotional heart
- Chant the verse slowly, feeling each phrase — 'you are my mother, father, friend, my all'
- Offer the prayer as a sincere surrender, letting go of worry and pride as you recite
- It is most fitting at the close of pūjā or āratī; it may also be chanted any time in devotion
- End by bowing in praṇāma, resting in the trust that the Divine holds your every need
Questions and Answers
What is the meaning of Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva?
It means: 'You alone are my mother and father, you alone are my kinsman and friend, you alone are knowledge and wealth — you are my everything, O Lord of Lords.' It is a declaration that the Divine is the source of every relationship and need.
When is this prayer usually chanted?
It is most commonly chanted at the conclusion of pūjā, āratī, or any worship, as a final offering of oneself to the Divine. It may also be recited at any moment of devotion or when seeking refuge and comfort.
Is Tvameva Mata addressed to a particular god?
No single deity is named — it can be offered to one's chosen form of God (iṣṭa-devatā), whether Viṣṇu, Śiva, Devī, or any cherished form. It addresses the Supreme Divine as the one refuge underlying all forms.
What does this prayer do for the devotee?
By surrendering every relationship and need to God, it is traditionally believed to ease ego, fear, and loneliness, and to deepen trust and devotion. It nurtures the feeling that one is never alone, for the Divine is one's all.
Can anyone recite Tvameva Mata?
Yes. It is a universal prayer of surrender with no restriction — anyone, of any age or background, may chant it sincerely. Its simple, heartfelt words make it especially loved for daily and family worship.
