cārifour;mukuṭacrowns;bhūmithe ground;loṭhāyatouching;tite āṅkira jaleeyes filled with tears;kānditeweeping;kānditeand weeping;brahmāBrahma;sa-karuṇahumble and sad;balespoke
Translation
His four crowns touching the ground, and tears flowing from his eyes, weeping Brahmā sadly spoke the following words.
eta māyā kena gosāñī pātaha āmāyāmā hena koṭī brahmā nimeṣeke hay
Word for word
etathis;māyā kena gosāñīthe master of Maya;pātaha āmāyI offer obeisances;āmāme;henalike;koṭīmillions;brahmāof Brahmas;nimeṣekein the blinking of an eye;hayare
Translation
O Lord, O master of Māyā, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. In the blinking of an eye You can create many millions of Brahmās like me.
aja-hena nāma mora tri-jagate bailasei bole andha haiyā tomā na cinila
Word for word
ajaunborn;henalike;nāmanmae;moraof me;tri-jagatein the three worlds;bailais;seithis;bolestatement;andhablind;haiyābeing;tomāof You;nanot;cinilaI knew
Translation
Even though in these three worlds I am called by the name "the unborn one" and by other respectful names, I am blind and foolish, for I could not recognize who You really are.
tomāra nābhi-padme gosāñī āmāra utpattiāmi aja nahi tumi aja se śrī-pati
Word for word
tomāraof You;nābhinavel;padmelotus flower;gosā{.sy 241}īmaster;āmāraof me;utpattibirth;āmiI am;ajaunborn;nahinot;tumiYou;ajaunborn;seHe;śrī-patithe husband of the goddess of fortune
Translation
I was born from the lotus flower of Your navel. Therefore I am not truly unborn. It is You who are unborn, for You are Nārāyaṇa, the goddess of fortune's husband.
sattva-rajaḥ-tamaḥgoodness, passion, and ignorance;tumiYou;tri-guṇa-dhārīthe maintainer of the three modes;āmāraof me;sṛjalecreate;tumiYou;debathe body;śrī-hariLord Hari
Translation
You are the master of the three modes: goodness, passion, and ignorance. You are Lord Hari, who created my body.
āṅkhiraof the eyes;nimiṣeblinking;koṭimillions;brahmāraof Brahmas;sṛjancreate;katākṣewith a sidelong glance;sṛjahacreate;punaḥagain;karahado;nidhandestruction
Translation
With an eyeblink You create many millions of Brahmās, and with a glance You again destroy them.
saṁsāreraof the material world;sārathe best;tumiYou;jagata-kāraṇthe cause of the universe;ādi-anta-madhyathe beginning, middle, and ened;nāhinot;nāmanamed;nārāyaṇNarayana
Translation
You are the creator of the universes. You are the beginning, middle, and end. Are You not Lord Nārāyaṇa?
tomāra sebaka saṅga kata pun/ya pāina pātiha māyā more śuna govindāi
Word for word
tomāraof You;sebakaof the servants;saṅgaassociation;katahow many?;pun/yapious deeds;pāiattain;nanot;pātihaspread;māyāMaya;moreto me;śunaplease hear;govindāiO Kṛṣṇa
Translation
How many pious deeds must one have performed in past lives to attain the company of Your servants? O Lord, please don't bewilder me with Your Māyā. O Govinda, please hear my words.
abaśya thākaye putra jananī-udarecaraṇa-āghāta baje māyera śarīre
Word for word
abaśyainevitably;thākayestaying;putraa child;jananīof the mother;udarein the womb;caraṇa-āghātakicking the feet;bajedoes;māyeraof Maya;śarīrein the body
Translation
A child inside the mother's womb may sometimes kick the mother's body.
tabe nirdaya kena haibe cakra-pāṇikāndite kāndite brahmā baila eta bāṇī
Word for word
tabethen;nirdayamerciless;kenawhy;haibeis;cakra-pāṇithe holder of the cakra;kānditeweeping;kānditeand weeping;brahmāBrahma;bailaspoke;etathese;bāṇīwords
Translation
O Lord who holds the cakra, why will You not be merciful to me?
Weeping and weeping, Brahmā spoke these words.
About Brahmā's Prayers
Corresponds to the Brahma-vimohana pastime (Bhagavatam 10.13-14), where Brahma steals away the cowherd boys and calves to test Krishna, only to find Krishna has expanded Himself to replace them all. Realizing Krishna's supremacy, Brahma offers famous prayers of surrender and wonder before Him.
Frequently asked
Who wrote Brahmā's Prayers?
Brahmā's Prayers was composed by Gunaraja Khan. It appears in Sri Krsna Vijaya.
What is the meaning of Brahmā's Prayers?
Brahmā descended from the chariot, bowed down, and with folded hands offered prayers.
How many verses does Brahmā's Prayers have?
Brahmā's Prayers has 15 verses.
Can I download Brahmā's Prayers as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Brahmā's Prayers — verse and translation on each slide — is available to download in both PowerPoint (.pptx) and PDF formats from this page, for use in kirtan or temple programs.
