Brahma Stotra

नमस्ते सते ते जगत्कारणाय
नमस्ते चिते सर्वलोकाश्रयाया।
नमोऽद्वैततत्त्वाय मुक्ति प्रदाय
नमोब्रह्मणे व्यापिने शाश्वताय॥

Namaste sate te jagat-kaara-ṇaaya
namaste chite sarva-lokaa-shrayaaya.
Namo-advaita-tatvaa-ya mukti pradaaya 
namo-brahamaṇe vyaapine shaash-vataaya.

We bow in reverence to You, O Supreme Conscious Cause of the World, Salutations to you the highest Intellect and the one in whom the world takes refuge. Salutations to you O unique giver of liberation, You are the Supreme all-pervading eternal Creator.

नमस्ते Salutations, I bow to you नमः ‘bow’, ‘obeisance’, ‘reverential salutation’ or ‘adoration’ ते to you सत Truth, Authenticity, Consciousness (as Sat in Sachidananda) ते your जगत् world कारण cause, motive, reason चित् consciousness, intelligence सर्व whole, entire, all, each लोक everyone, humans श्रय asylum, protection, refuge नमः salutations अद्वैत Peerless, without duplicate, unique तत्त्व Principle, constant truth मुक्ति liberation प्रदा Gift, giver नमः salutations ब्रह्मण Creator व्यापिन् Pervading, spread comprehensively, covering, diffusive शाश्वत् Eternal, permanence

त्वमेकं शरण्यं त्वमेकं वरेण्यम्
त्वमेकं जगत्पालकं स्वप्रकाशम्।
त्वमेकं जगत्कर्त्तृ पातृ प्रहर्तृ
त्वमेकं परं निश्चलं निर्विकल्पम्॥

Tvam-ekam sharaṇyam tvamekam vareṇyam
tvamekam jagat-paalakam sva-prakasham.
Tvamekam jagat-kartṛi paatṛi prahartṛi
tvamekam param nishchalam nirvikalpam.

You are the shining, luminous Guardian who nourishes and maintains all. You are the Creator, Preserver and dissolver of everything, You are the changeless, permanent Highest Absolute.

त्वमेकं You are the only one त्वम् you एकम् singular, The One, One without comparison, without duplicate. शरण्यं Protector, guardian वरेण्यम् best, desirable, to be wished for जगत world पालक one who nourishes, one who maintains स्वप्रकाश self-luminous, evident by itself प्रकाश light, best of something प्रकाशम् evidently, obviously जगत् world करर्तृ creator, maker पातृ (guarding, protect); please protect प्रहर्तृ warrior, one who can destroy परम् highest, absolute निश्चल changeless, firm, immovable निर्विकल्पम् without hesitation or reflection, free from change, unwavering

भयानां भयं भीषणं भीषणानां
गतिः प्राणिनां पावनं पावनानाम् ।
महोच्चैः पदानां नियन्तृ त्वमेकं
परेषां परं रक्षणं रक्षणानाम्॥

Bhayaanaam bhayam bheeṣhaṇam bheeṣhaṇaanaam
gatih praaṇinaam paavanam paava-naa-naam.
Maho-chaih padaanaam niyantṛi tvamekam
pareṣhaam param rakshaṇam raksha-ṇaanaam.

Obeisance to You, O pure unmitigated power of the world. You remove fear and let us experience fearlessness and you allow us to overcome trepidation and dread. You are the highest power, the absolute force that protects and guards our every step in life.

भयानां A person who is fearless, overcomes fear भय fear अन a term used to represent a skill (in this case of overcoming भय) भयम् fear, trepidation भीषणं formidable, fierce, frightening भीषणानाम् the horrific outcome of fear; that which is horrific गतिः obeisance towards गति refuge, shelter life, all living entities devotion प्राणिन् living, breathing पावन holy, pure पावन – pure holy अनाम् – अनानत – unbent, not humbled महोच्चैः in a powerful manner, with your power note – महेच्छ magnanimous पद step. foot, measured movement ahead नियन्तृ control, govern त्वमेकं You are the only one त्वम् you एकम् singular, The One, One without comparison, without duplicate परेषां highest lord परम् highest, absolute रक्षणम् The One who protects, guards रक्षणानाम् being protected, guarded.

वयं त्वां स्मरामो वयं त्वां भजामो
वयं त्वां जगत्साक्षिरूपं नमामः।
सदेकं निधानं निरालम्बमीशम् 
भवाम्बोधिपोतं शरण्यं व्रजामः॥

Vayam tvaam smaraamo vayam tvaam bhajaamo
vayam tvaam jagat-saakshi-roopam namaamah.
Sadekam nidhaanam niraalamb-ameesham
bhavaam-bhodhi-potam sharaṇyam vrajaamah.

We think of You and we worship Your name in reverence, O Observer of the drama of the entire world. You are the eternal One, the Self-Supporting basis of the world. You are the all-knowledgeable protector who is the foundation to us all. May we attain your bliss of wisdom.

वयं we त्वां you स्मरामो समर think of, recollect, remember भजते honour, revere, love भजन worship जगत world साक्षी witnessing, observing रूप drama, play, show, form नमामः (a name held in reverence) सदेकं Eternal (existent) one (सत एकम् one principle, one truth, one pure and perfect existence) निधानम् foundation, containing within, place of, a receptacle of निरालम्बमीशम् You alone I long for निरालम्ब independent, alone आमिष desire, longing for भवान you (respectful) बोधि wise, learned, knowing पोतं foundation शरण्यं Protector, guardian व्रजति attain to, going to, attain a condition

न तस्य कश्चित् पतिरस्ति लोके
न चेशिता नैव च तस्य लिङ्गं।
स कारणं करणाधिपाधिपो
न चास्य कश्चित् जनिता न चाधिपः॥

Na tasya kaschit patir-asti loke,
na che-shitaa naiva cha tasya liṅgam.
Sa kaaraṇam kara-ṇaadhi-paadhipo
na chaasva kaschit janitaa na chaadhipah.¹

There is none, no person whatsoever, that is superior to the Master who is the lord of all the world. There is none that can rule over Him. He has no feature or distinctive mark. He is the Cause, the Lord over all the natural organs – but He is without any originator and has no superior.

न not, no (negative prefix) तस्य his/her कश्चित् any, whatsoever पति master अस्ति is, being, present लोके worldly matters, in all of the world.न not च and इशति ruler नैवम् – न एवम् verily, indeed will not नैव not at all, none whatsoever च and तस्य his, her, person लिङ्गं mark, distinguishing feature सः is कारणम् cause करणाधिप lord of organs, the master controller of our organs अधिपा sovereign, ruler च and अस्य he himself कश्चित् any, whatsoever जनितः creator न not च and अधिपा king, ruler

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव
त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव।
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव
त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव ॥

Tvameva maataa cha pitaa tvameva,
tvameva bandhush-cha sakhaa tvameva.
Tvameva vidyaa draviṇam tvameva
Tvameva sarvam mama deva deva³

O Lord Thou art our mother and father. Thou art our brother and friend. Thou art our knowledge and wealth. Thou art everything to us O Lord.

त्वम् you एव indeed/truly/in reality माता mother च and पिता father बन्धु – relation च and सखा friend विद्या knowledge द्रविणम् wealth सर्वं all मम mine, my देव illuminated ones