subhashitawisdommahabharatayaksha-prashna

මාතා ගුරුතරා භූමේඃ

माता गुरुतरा भूमेः in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning reflection, or while contemplating gratitude toward one's parents·📜 Mahabharata

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

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.

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The Mantra

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

මාතා ගුරුතරා භූමේඃ ඛාත් පිතෝච්චතරස්තථා. මනඃ ශීඝ්රතරං වාතාත් චින්තා බහුතරී තෘණාත්..

mātā gurutarā bhūmeḥ khāt pitoccatarastathā। manaḥ śīghrataraṁ vātāt cintā bahutarī tṛṇāt॥

Meaning:माता पृथ्वी से भी अधिक गुरु (भारी एवं पूज्य) है; पिता आकाश से भी ऊँचा है; मन वायु से भी अधिक तीव्र है; और चिन्ताएँ घास के तिनकों से भी अधिक हैं। युधिष्ठिर का यह प्रसिद्ध उत्तर माता को पृथ्वी से और पिता को आकाश से भी श्रेष्ठ बताता है, और साथ ही चेतावनी देता है कि चंचल मन और उसकी चिन्ताएँ अनन्त हैं।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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මාතා🔊mātāthe mother

ගුරුතරා🔊gurutarāheavier, weightier (in honour and worth)

භූමේඃ🔊bhūmeḥthan the earth

ඛාත්🔊khātthan the sky, than space

පිතා🔊pitāthe father

උච්චතරඃ🔊uccataraḥhigher, loftier

තථා🔊tathālikewise, so too

මනඃ🔊manaḥthe mind

ශීඝ්රතරම්🔊śīghrataramswifter, faster

වාතාත්🔊vātātthan the wind

චින්තා🔊cintāworry, anxious thought

බහුතරී🔊bahutarīmore numerous, more abundant

තෘණාත්🔊tṛṇātthan blades of grass

Benefits of Chanting माता गुरुतरा भूमेः

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Instils profound reverence for one's mother and father

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Teaches that no honour on earth exceeds that owed to parents

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A beautiful reflection on the swiftness and restlessness of the mind

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Reminds us that anxious cares are endless unless the mind is mastered

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Carries the timeless wisdom of the Mahabharata's Yaksha Prashna

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A short, memorable verse cherished in teachings on family and duty

How to Chant माता गुरुतरा भूमेः

Repetitions3times

Best TimeMorning reflection, or while contemplating gratitude toward one's parents

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete माता गुरुतरा भूमेः written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It belongs to the Yaksha Prashna of the Mahabharata (Vana Parva / Aranyaka Parva), the famous dialogue in which a Yaksha tests Yudhishthira with searching questions and he answers each with great wisdom.

It means the mother surpasses even the earth in the weight of her worth, sacrifice and the honour owed to her. The verse pairs this with the father being loftier than the sky, exalting parents above the greatest things in creation.

That the mind is swifter than the wind and that anxious cares are more numerous than blades of grass. It is a reminder of how restless the mind is and how endless worry becomes unless one learns to steady and master it.