A radiant figure of divine light embracing a small devotee, surrounded by glowing scenes of mother and child, father and son, friends and teacher and student

Vedic & PeaceStuti

Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva

Lyrics · Meaning · Audio

A simple, heart-opening prayer: “You alone are my mother and father, my family and friend, my knowledge and wealth — you are my everything, O God of gods.”

Traditional prayer (found in the Pandava Gita and guru prayers)

Listen

Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva

Son of Kali · Essence of Sacred Mantras

0:007:31

Deity: Vedic & Peace
Type: Stuti
Verses: 1
Language: Sanskrit

Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva Lyrics with Meaning

Each line shows an easy way to say it, with its English meaning. Turn on the Sanskrit, the exact pronunciation or the word-by-word meaning whenever you want to go deeper.

The Prayer

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव

Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva

tvameva mātā ca pitā tvameva

You alone are my mother, and you alone are my father;

त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव ।

Tvameva Bandhush Cha Sakha Tvameva

tvameva bandhuśca sakhā tvameva

you alone are my family, and you alone are my friend;

त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव

Tvameva Vidya Dravinam Tvameva

tvameva vidyā draviṇaṃ tvameva

you alone are my knowledge, and you alone are my wealth;

त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव ॥

Tvameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva

tvameva sarvaṃ mama deva deva

you alone are my everything, O God of gods.

About Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva

Tvameva Mata is one of the most widely sung short prayers in India, recited in schools, homes and temples at the start or end of the day. It is found in the Pandava Gita and is often chanted as part of the prayers to the guru.

Its power is its simplicity. In four lines it names everything we depend on — mother, father, family, friend, knowledge, wealth — and says that the divine is all of these. Whatever form of God you hold dear, the prayer fits: Shiva, Krishna, the Mother, the Guru, or the formless.

It is often the very first Sanskrit prayer children learn, and many adults find it returns to them in moments of need.

The Stories Inside the Hymn

A prayer of complete trust

The repeated word tvam eva means “you alone.” Each line hands over one more part of life to the divine — first family, then friendship, then learning and wealth, and finally everything.

It is an expression of śaraṇāgati, total surrender: the feeling of a child who knows they are completely held.

For any form of the divine

Because it ends with “O God of gods” rather than naming a deity, people of every Hindu tradition — and many beyond it — sing this prayer.

It is also sung to the guru, the teacher who is seen as the living form of the divine.

How to Chant Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva

When to chant

✦Morning or evening prayers
✦Before study or meals
✦At the end of a puja or meditation
✦In times of loneliness or difficulty

How many times

Usually once or three times.

1
Sit quietly with joined palms.
2
Bring to mind the form of the divine you love most.
3
Chant the four lines slowly along with the recording.
4
Let each line be a real offering of that part of your life.
5
Rest in the feeling of being held.

Pronunciation Guide

The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.

tvameva

tva-may-va — “you alone.”

bandhuśca

bun-dhush-cha.

draviṇaṃ

dra-vi-num — “wealth.”

Essence of Sacred Mantras by Son of Kali

The music

Essence of Sacred Mantras

by Son of Kali

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Tvameva Mata mean?

“You alone are my mother and my father, you alone are my family and my friend, you alone are my knowledge and my wealth — you are my everything, O God of gods.”

Where does Tvameva Mata come from?

It appears in the Pandava Gita and is part of traditional guru prayers. It has been sung for centuries across India.

Which god is it addressed to?

It says “O God of gods” and can be addressed to any form of the divine, or to the guru.