Oh My God of Gods

The Twameva is my favourite morning chant. This is reason I have no trouble getting up and getting to prayers 1/2 an hour before yoga - the Twameva and The 32 names of Durga.

Did I mention the time has changed? We now start Yoga at 7:30 a.m as it's too hot to finish by 10 a.m (I can hear you already: "Oh, poor bwah-bwah, is too hotsy-hot-warm for woo?")

I get up before 6 a.m. to get to prayers by 7 a.m. And yes, thank you for all the accolades and applause. I'll just add the trophy you're getting made for me to my somewhat sparse collection back home. (It can take a place of honour next to the biggest trophy, my Grade 8 School Board Award of Excellence in Social Sciences award - which was a very nice pen holder, thank you very much Etobicoke Board of Education, you guys rock!)

I digress. Your attention please, ladies and gents, the Twameva.

Sing-a-long in Sanskrit:
Twameva Mataa Cha Pitaa Twameva
Twameva Bandus Cha Sakaa Twameva
Twameva Vidya Dravinam Twameva
Twameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva

The translation:
You alone are mother and father
You alone are friend and relative
You alone are knowledge and wealth
Oh my God of Gods, You alone are Everything.

I just learned the translation 2 weeks ago. Like the 32 names of Durga, I have loved this prayer from the first time I heard it, and once I read the meaning of the sanskrit, I felt a ripple effect go through me, like a stone had been dropped through the surface of my self, my turbulent self. The melody is beautiful, and it always calms me, even though I find it also haunts me, has haunted me since I first heard it.

Oh my God of Gods, indeed.