𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌤𑌿
Brahma Stuti in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥
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Origin & Story
Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Canto 10, Chapter 14, verses 1–8 (Brahma-stuti, opening verses of Brahma's prayers to Lord Krishna) · Sage Veda-Vyasa (as spoken by Lord Brahma) · Classical Puranic era
While Krishna was enjoying His childhood pastimes as a cowherd in Vrindavana, Lord Brahma, curious to test the divinity of the boy, used his mystic power to steal away all of Krishna's calves and cowherd friends and concealed them. Unperturbed, Krishna personally expanded Himself into identical forms of every missing calf and boy, deceiving even their own mothers for an entire year. When Brahma returned and saw both his hidden charges and Krishna's self-manifested duplicates — and then a vision of countless four-armed Vishnu forms being worshipped — he was utterly humbled. Descending from his swan-carrier, the creator bowed at the feet of the cowherd boy and poured out this prayer, of which these opening verses are the most cherished.
✦ As told in scripture
The Bhagavata relates that when Brahma sought his stolen calves and boys, he found them still asleep where he had hidden them by his illusory power — and simultaneously saw them present with Krishna in Vrindavana, for the Lord had become each one of them exactly. Then before Brahma's eyes every calf and boy appeared as a four-armed Narayana, worshipped by Brahma, Shiva and all beings, leaving the creator stunned and convinced of Krishna's absolute supremacy.
Complete Text with Meaning
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𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍋𑌵𑌾𑌚 𑌨𑍗𑌮𑍀𑌡𑍍𑌯 𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌭𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍇 𑌤𑌡𑌿𑌦𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌰𑌾𑌯 𑌗𑍁𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌂𑌸𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌲𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌾𑌯 । 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍇 𑌕𑌵𑌲𑌵𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌾𑌣𑌵𑍇𑌣𑍁- 𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌮𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌪𑌦𑍇 𑌪𑌶𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌜𑌾𑌯 ॥ ௧ ॥
śrī-brahmovāca naumīḍya te 'bhra-vapuṣe taḍid-ambarāya guñjāvataṃsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhāya | vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-viṣāṇa-veṇu- lakṣma-śriye mṛdu-pade paśupāṅgajāya || 1 ||
Meaning:Lord Brahma said: O most worshipable Lord, I offer my praises unto You. Your body is dark like a rain-cloud and Your garment glistens like lightning; Your face shines with guñjā-berry earrings and a crowning peacock feather. Wearing a garland of forest flowers, beautified by a morsel of food, a herding stick, a buffalo horn and a flute, soft-footed You stand — the son of the cowherd king Nanda.
𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌪𑌿 𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍋 𑌮𑌦𑌨𑍁𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌾𑌮𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨 𑌤𑍁 𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌮𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌕𑍋𑌽𑌪𑌿 । 𑌨𑍇𑌶𑍇 𑌮𑌹𑌿 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌵𑌸𑌿𑌤𑍁𑌂 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍇𑌣 𑌸𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌵𑍈𑌵 𑌕𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌭𑍂𑌤𑍇𑌃 ॥ ௨ ॥
asyāpi deva vapuṣo mad-anugrahasya svecchā-mayasya na tu bhūta-mayasya ko 'pi | neśe mahi tv avasituṃ manasāntareṇa sākṣāt tavaiva kim utātma-sukhānubhūteḥ || 2 ||
Meaning:O Lord, this transcendental body of Yours, manifested out of Your own sweet will as a mercy to Your devotees and not made of material elements — no one is able to fathom even by long mental effort the glory of it; how much less, then, can one comprehend You directly, the very embodiment of self-blissful experience.
𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌸𑌮𑍁𑌦𑌪𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌏𑌵 𑌜𑍀𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌭𑌵𑌦𑍀𑌯𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌤𑌿𑌗𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌤𑌨𑍁𑌵𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌭𑌿- 𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌯𑌶𑍋𑌽𑌜𑌿𑌤 𑌜𑌿𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌸𑌿 𑌤𑍈𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௩ ॥
jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṃ bhavadīya-vārtām | sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṃ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām || 3 ||
Meaning:Those who, giving up the labour of speculative knowledge, devote themselves simply to offering obeisances and to living by the topics of You as sung by the saints — remaining in whatever situation they are, surrendering through body, words and mind to the message received through the ears — such persons, O unconquerable one, conquer even You within all the three worlds.
𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑌃𑌸𑍃𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌦𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌤𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍋 𑌕𑍍𑌲𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌯𑍇 𑌕𑍇𑌵𑌲𑌬𑍋𑌧𑌲𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌯𑍇 । 𑌤𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌮𑌸𑍗 𑌕𑍍𑌲𑍇𑌶𑌲 𑌏𑌵 𑌶𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌨𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌥𑌾 𑌸𑍍𑌥𑍂𑌲𑌤𑍁𑌷𑌾𑌵𑌘𑌾𑌤𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪ ॥
śreyaḥ-sṛtiṃ bhaktim udasya te vibho kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye | teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām || 4 ||
Meaning:O almighty Lord, those who cast aside loving devotion, the very path of supreme blessedness, and toil only to attain impersonal knowledge — for them nothing but trouble remains as their reward, just as nothing but labour comes to those who thresh empty husks of grain.
𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍇𑌹 𑌭𑍂𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌬𑌹𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌪𑌿 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌿𑌨- 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑍇𑌹𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌲𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌯𑌾 । 𑌵𑌿𑌬𑍁𑌧𑍍𑌯 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌵 𑌕𑌥𑍋𑌪𑌨𑍀𑌤𑌯𑌾 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍇𑌦𑌿𑌰𑍇𑌽𑌞𑍍𑌜𑍋𑌽𑌚𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌤 𑌤𑍇 𑌗𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௫ ॥
pureha bhūman bahavo 'pi yoginas tvad-arpitehā nija-karma-labdhayā | vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā prapedire 'ñjo 'cyuta te gatiṃ parām || 5 ||
Meaning:O unlimited Lord, in the past many yogis in this world, dedicating their efforts to You and being enlightened by devotion alone — nourished by hearing Your glories and aided by the merit of their own duties — easily attained Your supreme abode, O infallible one.
𑌤𑌥𑌾𑌪𑌿 𑌭𑍂𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌤𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌬𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌹𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌮𑌲𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌭𑌿𑌃 । 𑌅𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌭𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌤𑍋 𑌹𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌬𑍋𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌤𑌯𑌾 𑌨 𑌚𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌥𑌾 ॥ ௬ ॥
tathāpi bhūman mahimāguṇasya te viboddhum arhaty amalāntar-ātmabhiḥ | avikriyāt svānubhavād arūpato hy ananya-bodhyātmatayā na cānyathā || 6 ||
Meaning:Even so, O all-pervading Lord, the glory of You, who possess transcendental qualities, can be realized only by the pure-hearted, through their own unchanging, formless inner experience in which You alone are to be known — and in no other way.
𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌪𑌿 𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌂 𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌵𑌤𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌕 𑌈𑌶𑌿𑌰𑍇𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌯 । 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑍇𑌨 𑌯𑍈𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌃 𑌸𑍁𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑍈𑌰𑍍 𑌭𑍂𑌪𑌾𑌂𑌶𑌵𑌃 𑌖𑍇 𑌮𑌿𑌹𑌿𑌕𑌾 𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌭𑌾𑌸𑌃 ॥ ௭ ॥
guṇātmanas te 'pi guṇān vimātuṃ hitāvatīrṇasya ka īśire 'sya | kālena yair vā vimitāḥ su-kalpair bhū-pāṃśavaḥ khe mihikā dyu-bhāsaḥ || 7 ||
Meaning:Who can measure the transcendental qualities of You, who, though the master of all qualities, have descended for the welfare of all? Indeed one might, in the course of time, count all the atoms of the earth, the snowflakes in the sky, or the particles of starlight — but never Your glories.
𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌨𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌸𑌮𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌮𑌾𑌣𑍋 𑌭𑍁𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌾𑌨 𑌏𑌵𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌪𑌾𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌭𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌦𑌧𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌜𑍀𑌵𑍇𑌤 𑌯𑍋 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌪𑌦𑍇 𑌸 𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌭𑌾𑌕𑍍 ॥ ௮ ॥
tat te 'nukampāṃ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṃ vipākam | hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk || 8 ||
Meaning:That person who, earnestly awaiting Your causeless mercy, patiently suffers the reactions of his own past deeds while offering obeisances to You with his heart, words and body — and thus lives — is surely the rightful heir to the kingdom of liberation.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Brahma Stuti
Glorifies the supremacy of loving devotion (bhakti) over dry speculative knowledge and laborious yoga.
Verse 3 ('jñāne prayāsam udapāsya') is a cornerstone teaching: surrender and hearing of the Lord's glories conquer even the unconquerable God.
Verse 8 ('tat te 'nukampāṃ') gives the formula for liberation — patient endurance of karma while awaiting the Lord's mercy.
Deepens loving meditation on Krishna's enchanting cowherd form with flute, peacock feather and forest garland.
Cultivates humility, teaching that the Lord's transcendental form and qualities are beyond all measure.
Recited from the Bhagavata, it is held to purify the heart and awaken pure devotion in the chanter.
How to Chant Brahma Stuti
Recite the verses slowly before an image of Sri Krishna, contemplating Brahma's wonder at the Lord's sweet cowherd form and his confession that devotion alone reveals the Supreme. Dwell especially on the third verse, glorifying the path of hearing and surrender, and on the eighth, the prayer to await the Lord's mercy patiently. Chant with humility, in a mood of loving submission, as the very creator Brahma did before the boy Krishna.
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