Maiya Mori Main Nahi Makhan Khayo Meaning — Line by Line

मैया मोरी मैं नहिं माखन खायो

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

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Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Maiya Mori Main Nahi Makhan Khayo with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

Verse 1#

मैया मोरी मैं नहिं माखन खायो। ख्याल परै ये सखा सबै मिलि, मेरैं मुख लपटायो॥

Maiya mori main nahin makhan khayo Khyal parai ye sakha sabai mili, merain mukh lapatayo

MeaningMother, I did not eat the butter! My friends all got together and smeared it on my mouth.

Verse 2#

देखि तुही छींके पर भाजन, ऊँचे धरि लटकायो। हौं जु कहत नान्हें कर अपने, मैं कैसें करि पायो॥

Dekhi tuhi chheenke par bhajan, oonche dhari latkayo Haun ju kahat naanhe kar apne, main kaisen kari payo

MeaningJust see — the pot was hung high on the sling; and these little hands of mine — how could I ever have reached it?

Verse 3#

मुख दधि लेपन कर पुनि गोरस, डारि सबनि के आगे। लकुटी कांधे गोधन गैयाँ, चलत भयो पग लागे॥

Mukh dadhi lepan kar puni goras, daari sabani ke aage Lakuti kaandhe godhan gaiyan, chalat bhayo pag laage

Meaning(Yet) with curd smeared on His mouth, having spilt the milk before everyone, staff on shoulder He set off with the cows, His little feet toddling along.

Verse 4#

सूरदास तब बिहँसि जसोदा, लै उर कंठ लगायो॥

Surdas tab bihansi Jasoda, lai ur kanth lagayo

MeaningSurdas says: then Yashoda, smiling, drew the child to her heart and embraced Him.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

मैया मोरी मैं नहिं माखन खायो

Maiya mori main nahin makhan khayo

Mother, I did not eat the butter!

ये सखा सबै मिलि मेरैं मुख लपटायो

ye sakha sabai mili merain mukh lapatayo

these friends together smeared it on my mouth

छींके पर भाजन ऊँचे धरि लटकायो

chheenke par bhajan oonche dhari latkayo

the pot was hung high up on the sling

हौं जु कहत नान्हें कर अपने

haun ju kahat naanhe kar apne

and look, my little hands —

मैं कैसें करि पायो

main kaisen kari payo

how could I ever have reached it?

सूरदास तब बिहँसि जसोदा

Surdas tab bihansi Jasoda

Surdas says: then Yashoda, smiling,

लै उर कंठ लगायो

lai ur kanth lagayo

drew Him close and embraced Him

Origin & History

Source: Composed by Surdas (Sur Sagar; 16th-century Braj bhakti tradition)

Author: Surdas

Period: 16th century

Surdas, the blind bard of Braj, sang thousands of verses on the childhood of Krishna. In this most famous pada the little Krishna, butter still on his lips, pleads his innocence to Yashoda with such irresistible logic that she can only smile and embrace him. It is the best-loved of all makhan-chori (butter-theft) songs, cherished as the very heart of vatsalya bhakti.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who wrote Maiya Mori Main Nahi Makhan Khayo?▼

The 16th-century blind saint-poet Surdas, the greatest poet of Krishna's childhood leelas, whose verses are collected in the Sur Sagar.

What is the bhajan about?▼

The child Krishna, caught with butter, innocently protests to mother Yashoda that he never ate it — his friends smeared it on him, and besides, the pot was hung too high for his little hands to reach. It is a classic scene of his butter-stealing (makhan-chori) leela.

What is vatsalya bhakti?▼

Loving God in the mood of a parent for a child. Surdas's baal-leela padas like this one are the supreme expression of vatsalya bhakti, adoring the divine in the form of the mischievous, irresistible child Krishna.

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