Mata Gurutara Bhumeh (Yaksha Prashna)
माता गुरुतरा भूमेः
Also known as: mata gurutara bhumeh · mata gurutara bhumeh khat pitochchatarastatha · yaksha prashna shloka · mother is heavier than the earth shloka · manah shighrataram vatat
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✦ Meaning
This famous verse is part of the Yaksha Prashna in the Mahabharata, where a Yaksha tests Yudhishthira with profound riddles beside a forest lake. In reply to 'What is heavier than the earth?' Yudhishthira answers that the mother surpasses the earth in weight of honour, the father rises higher than the sky, the mind outruns the wind, and worries outnumber the grass. It is cherished as a tribute to parents and a meditation on the restlessness of the mind.
Origin & Story
Mahabharata · Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana) · Itihasa (ancient epic literature)
In the Yaksha Prashna of the Mahabharata, the four younger Pandavas fall lifeless beside a lake after ignoring the warning of its guardian Yaksha. Yudhishthira alone answers the Yaksha's profound questions, and by his wisdom his brothers are restored to life. This verse is among those celebrated answers, exalting the mother above the earth and the father above the sky, while observing the boundless speed of the mind and the endlessness of worry.
✦ As told in scripture
By the wisdom of these very answers, the Mahabharata tells, Yudhishthira won back the lives of his fallen brothers from the Yaksha — who was Dharma himself in disguise, testing his son. The verse is remembered as proof that true understanding has the power to restore and protect.
The Mantra
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माता गुरुतरा भूमेः खात् पितोच्चतरस्तथा। मनः शीघ्रतरं वातात् चिन्ता बहुतरी तृणात्॥
mātā gurutarā bhūmeḥ khāt pitoccatarastathā। manaḥ śīghrataraṁ vātāt cintā bahutarī tṛṇāt॥
Meaning:The mother is weightier than the earth; the father is higher than the sky; the mind is swifter than the wind; and anxious cares are more numerous than blades of grass. This celebrated answer of Yudhishthira to the Yaksha exalts the mother above the earth itself and the father above the heavens, while warning that the restless mind and its worries are boundless.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Mata Gurutara Bhumeh (Yaksha Prashna)
Instils profound reverence for one's mother and father
Teaches that no honour on earth exceeds that owed to parents
A beautiful reflection on the swiftness and restlessness of the mind
Reminds us that anxious cares are endless unless the mind is mastered
Carries the timeless wisdom of the Mahabharata's Yaksha Prashna
A short, memorable verse cherished in teachings on family and duty
How to Chant Mata Gurutara Bhumeh (Yaksha Prashna)
Recite the verse slowly, dwelling first on the immense honour due to the mother and father, then on the swift, restless nature of the mind and the endlessness of worry. Let the first half deepen gratitude and reverence, and the second half inspire calm mastery over the wandering mind. It is often recited in teachings on the dialogue of the Yaksha and Yudhishthira.