venkateswaravishnuannamacharyaannamayya

Brahmam Okkate (Annamacharya)

బ్రహ్మం ఒక్కటే

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Morning prayer; during Venkateswara worship and on Saturdays (sacred to Balaji)·📜 Telugu keertana of Annamacharya (Annamayya), in praise of Lord Venkateswara (15th century CE)

Also known as: brahmam okkate · brahmam okate · parabrahmam okkate · annamayya brahmam okkate · brahma mokkate

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

'Brahmam Okkate' is one of the most beloved Telugu keertanas of Annamacharya (Annamayya), the great 15th-century saint-composer of Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala. Its message is profound and radical: there is only one Supreme Brahman, the indwelling Self of all beings, and so before God there is no high or low — the sleep of king and servant, the earth beneath Brahmin and outcaste, the pleasure of gods and ants, are all one and the same. It is a timeless song of spiritual equality and devotion.

Origin & Story

Telugu keertana of Annamacharya (Annamayya), in praise of Lord Venkateswara (15th century CE) · Annamacharya (Tallapaka Annamayya) · 1408-1503 CE

Annamacharya was born at Tallapaka and from childhood was wholly devoted to Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala, on whom he composed tens of thousands of keertanas. In 'Brahmam Okkate' he sets aside all worldly hierarchy, declaring that the one Supreme Brahman dwells equally in every being. Many of his songs, including this one, were inscribed on copper plates and preserved in the Tirumala temple, rediscovered centuries later.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that Annamacharya's 32,000 songs flowed by the direct grace of Lord Venkateswara, and that the copper plates bearing them, hidden for centuries in a vault at Tirumala, were rediscovered intact — as if the Lord Himself had preserved His devotee's words of devotion and equality for all ages.

0all time

Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

బ్రహ్మ మొక్కటే పరబ్రహ్మ మొక్కటే పరబ్రహ్మ మొక్కటే పరబ్రహ్మ మొక్కటే

brahma mokkaṭē parabrahma mokkaṭē parabrahma mokkaṭē parabrahma mokkaṭē

Meaning:There is but one Brahman, one Supreme Brahman alone.

Verse 2

కందువగు హీనాధికము లిందు లేవు అందరికి శ్రీహరే అంతరాత్మ ఇందులో జంతుకుల మింతా నొక్కటే అందరికి శ్రీహరే అంతరాత్మ

kanduvagu hīnādhikamu lindu lēvu andariki śrīharē antarātma indulō jantukula mintā nokkaṭē andariki śrīharē antarātma

Meaning:Here there are no distinctions of high and low; Sri Hari (Vishnu) alone is the inner Self of all. In this world the entire family of living beings is one and the same; for all of them, Sri Hari is the indwelling Self.

Verse 3

నిండార రాజు నిద్రించు నిద్రయు నొకటే అండనే బంటు నిద్ర అదియు నొకటే మెండైన బ్రాహ్మణుడు మెట్టు భూమి యొకటే చండాలుడుండేటి సరిభూమి యొకటే

niṇḍāra rāju nidriñcu nidrayu nokaṭē aṇḍanē baṇṭu nidra adiyu nokaṭē meṇḍaina brāhmaṇuḍu meṭṭu bhūmi yokaṭē caṇḍāluḍuṇḍēṭi saribhūmi yokaṭē

Meaning:The sleep in which a mighty king slumbers is one and the same as the sleep of the servant beside him. The earth the eminent Brahmin treads upon is the very same earth on which the outcaste stands — it is equal.

Verse 4

అనుగుదేవతలకును అలకామ సుఖ మొకటే ఘన కీటకాదులకు కామ సుఖ మొకటే దిన మహేశ్వరునికిని తెలిసి సుఖ మొకటే వను చీమల కైనను వట్టి సుఖ మొకటే

anugudēvatalakunu alakāma sukha mokaṭē ghana kīṭakādulaku kāma sukha mokaṭē dina maheśvarunikini telisi sukha mokaṭē vanu cīmala kainanu vaṭṭi sukha mokaṭē

Meaning:For the favoured gods, the pleasure of desire is the same; for the lowliest insects, that pleasure of desire is the same; for great Maheshwara who knows it, the joy is one; even for the crawling ants, the bare feeling of pleasure is one and the same.

Verse 5

కొరలి శిష్టాన్నములు గుడుచుట యొకటే తిరుగు దుష్టాన్నములు తినుట యొకటే పరగ దుర్గంధములపై వాయు వొకటే తిరుమని వేంకటేశు తెలిసిన వా రొకటే

korali śiṣṭānnamulu guḍucuṭa yokaṭē tirugu duṣṭānnamulu tinuṭa yokaṭē paraga durgandhamulapai vāyu vokaṭē tirumani vēṅkaṭēśu telisina vā rokaṭē

Meaning:To eat refined, noble food and to eat the coarse food found while wandering is the same act of eating; the same wind blows alike over fragrant things and foul; and all those who have truly known the holy Lord Venkateswara are one and alike. There is but one Supreme Brahman for all.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

బ్రహ్మ మొక్కటే🔊brahma mokkaṭēThe Brahman (supreme reality) is one alone.

పరబ్రహ్మ మొక్కటే🔊parabrahma mokkaṭēThe Supreme Brahman is one alone (there is only one God for all).

కందువగు హీనాధికములు ఇందు లేవు🔊kanduvagu hīnādhikamulu indu lēvuHere there are no distinctions of high and low (no inferior or superior).

అందరికి శ్రీహరే అంతరాత్మ🔊andariki śrīharē antarātmaSri Hari (Vishnu) alone is the inner Self of all.

ఇందులో జంతుకులము ఇంతా నొక్కటే🔊indulō jantukulamu intā nokkaṭēIn this (world) the whole family of living beings is one and the same.

నిండార రాజు నిద్రించు నిద్రయు నొకటే🔊niṇḍāra rāju nidriñcu nidrayu nokaṭēThe sleep in which a great king slumbers is one and the same (as another's).

అండనే బంటు నిద్ర అదియు నొకటే🔊aṇḍanē baṇṭu nidra adiyu nokaṭēAnd the sleep of the servant beside him — that too is the very same.

మెండైన బ్రాహ్మణుడు మెట్టు భూమి యొకటే🔊meṇḍaina brāhmaṇuḍu meṭṭu bhūmi yokaṭēThe ground on which the eminent Brahmin treads is one (the same earth).

చండాలుడుండేటి సరిభూమి యొకటే🔊caṇḍāluḍuṇḍēṭi saribhūmi yokaṭēThe very same earth is that on which the outcaste stands — it is equal.

అనుగుదేవతలకును అలకామ సుఖ మొకటే🔊anugudēvatalakunu alakāma sukha mokaṭēFor the cherished gods, the pleasure of desire is one (the same).

ఘన కీటకాదులకు కామ సుఖ మొకటే🔊ghana kīṭakādulaku kāma sukha mokaṭēFor the lowly insects and the rest, the pleasure of desire is the very same.

వను చీమల కైనను వట్టి సుఖ మొకటే🔊vanu cīmala kainanu vaṭṭi sukha mokaṭēEven for the crawling ants, the bare feeling of pleasure is one and the same.

కొరలి శిష్టాన్నములు గుడుచుట యొకటే🔊korali śiṣṭānnamulu guḍucuṭa yokaṭēEating refined, noble food (with relish) is one act.

తిరుగు దుష్టాన్నములు తినుట యొకటే🔊tirugu duṣṭānnamulu tinuṭa yokaṭēEating the coarse, poor food found while wandering is the very same act (of eating).

పరగ దుర్గంధములపై వాయు వొకటే🔊paraga durgandhamulapai vāyu vokaṭēThe very same wind blows over fragrant and over foul-smelling things alike.

తిరుమని వేంకటేశు తెలిసిన వా రొకటే🔊tirumani vēṅkaṭēśu telisina vā rokaṭēThose who have truly known the holy Lord Venkateswara are all one (alike in His sight).

Benefits of Chanting Brahmam Okkate (Annamacharya)

✦

A profound teaching of the oneness of God and the spiritual equality of all beings, sung with devotion.

✦

Dissolves the ego's sense of high and low, cultivating humility and seeing Sri Hari as the Self in all.

✦

Among the most cherished of Annamayya's 32,000 keertanas in praise of Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala.

✦

Recited and sung to deepen devotion to Venkateswara (Balaji) and to absorb the vision of non-duality (Advaita).

✦

Brings peace of mind by teaching that the same Lord and the same essence pervade king and servant, god and ant alike.

How to Chant Brahmam Okkate (Annamacharya)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeMorning prayer; during Venkateswara worship and on Saturdays (sacred to Balaji)

FaceFacing the deity of Venkateswara / Vishnu or east

Sit before an image of Lord Venkateswara (Balaji) and sing or recite the keertana with feeling, dwelling on its meaning — that one Supreme Self dwells in all. Annamayya's songs are meant to be sung; if recited, chant the pallavi 'Brahmam okkate' as a refrain after each charanam, contemplating the equality and oneness it proclaims.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a famous Telugu keertana (devotional song) by the saint-composer Annamacharya (Annamayya), declaring that there is only one Supreme Brahman who is the inner Self of all beings, and therefore no real distinction of high and low exists before God. It is among the most loved of his compositions.

Annamacharya (Annamayya, 1408-1503) was a great saint-poet and the earliest known composer (Pada-kavita Pitamaha) of Carnatic music, devoted to Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala. He is said to have composed 32,000 keertanas, many engraved on copper plates preserved at Tirumala, expressing devotion, philosophy and social equality.

Its message is the oneness of the Divine and the equality of all life. Through vivid examples — the same sleep for king and servant, the same earth under all, the same pleasure for gods and ants — Annamayya teaches that the one Lord Sri Hari is the Self within everyone, so distinctions of birth and status are unreal.

It praises Lord Venkateswara (Sri Hari / Vishnu) of Tirumala, named in its final line as 'Venkatesu'. Annamayya devoted his life and all his songs to this Lord, and 'Brahmam Okkate' weaves devotion to Venkateswara together with the teaching of universal oneness.