All about Goddess Annapoorna

‘Anna’ denotes ‘food,’ and ‘poorna’ means ‘filled completely’. Goddess Annapurna is the deity of food and kitchen. She is a form of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. Being the goddess of nourishment, she ensures that her devotees never go hungry. She is also the goddess of Kashi/Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Kashi/ Varanasi is known as the city of light, for the goddess also provides enlightenment. She is the source of the energy that we use to attain knowledge. She was born on the day of Akshaya Tritiya, a very auspicious day in the Hindu calendar.

 Annapoorna is a very kind and compassionate goddess. Legends say that she does not eat even a morsel of food until all her devotees have been fed. The belief is that those who worship her will never suffer hunger. She is also the source of wisdom, knowledge, courage, spiritual energy, and strength of mind and body.

 Before Rama went to Lanka, he prayed to the goddess to remove the hunger of the monkeys. The goddess helped to control the hunger of the Vanaras and blessed them with victory in the battle.

 Mount Annapoorna in the Himalayas is named after the goddess, who is supposedly one of Himavat’s daughters (Himavat is the king of the mountains).

 The Story of Goddess Annapoorna 

 One of the favorite hobbies of Shiva and Parvati was playing dice. Once they were playing, and as the game became more interesting, they decided to lay bets. Parvati staked her jewels, and Shiva staked his trident. As Shiva lost the game, he lost his trident. In the following game, he bet his snake. But he lost again. Though he kept playing, he lost all the games and the things he staked, including his begging bowl.

 Shiva felt quite humiliated. He left for the Deodar forest to meet Vishnu. Shiva who told Vishnu about all that had happened. Vishnu advised Shiva to play the game again, assuring him that he would win back all that he had lost. So Shiva returned to his abode and began to play the game again.

 This time, he won all the games and got back all the things he had lost. Parvati became very suspicious of Shiva’s sudden reversal of fortunes. She accused him of cheating, and they began arguing heatedly. Finally, Vishnu appeared before them and said that the dice had moved according to his wishes. They had not actually been playing, and it was just an illusion, he explained.

 Shiva added that everything in the material world was just Maya or an illusion. All that one had was an illusion. Even the food that one ate was Maya. On hearing this, Parvati became angry. She said that food was not an illusion. If food was indeed an illusion, then she herself was an illusion. Parvati felt belittled and decided to show Shiva and the world her importance. “Let me see how the world will survive without food,” she said and vanished.

 Once she disappeared, everything in Nature came to a standstill. The seasons did not change, the lands became barren, as nothing grew anymore. There was a severe drought, and a famine raged.

 The Gods, humans, and demons prayed for food. The prayers reached Parvati’s ears, and she felt sad when she saw her children suffering pangs of hunger. So she manifested in Kashi (Varanasi) and began to offer food to everyone.

 By then, Shiva had realized his mistake. He understood that he was incomplete without Shakti. So he went to Parvati with a begging bowl in his hands. He admitted his mistake and said that food was not an illusion and it was essential for nourishing the body as well as the inner soul. Since then, people began to worship Parvati as Annapurna Devi, the goddess of food.

 Iconography

 Goddess Annapurna is depicted as a beautiful young woman with a fair complexion. She has 3 eyes and 4 hands. She wears many ornaments; she holds a golden ladle in one of her hands and a jeweled bowl full of rice in another. The other 2 hands show Abhaya and Varada mudras. The bowl full of grain signifies the nourishment she offers all her children. She sits on a throne, and a crescent moon adorns her head. In some images, Shiva sits beside her with a begging bowl.

 The goddess has a thousand names that find mention in the Annapurna Sahashranama Stotram, a hymn that is dedicated to her. Some of her popular names are Visalakshi, Viswamata, and Bhuvaneshwari. She is a goddess who is complete and perfect with food, has the strength of Shiva, and provides nourishment and strength. She is beyond Maya (illusion) and also the supreme goddess of the universe. She removes all fear and offers her blessings and protection.

 Reciting a prayer to Goddess Annapurna and thanking her for providing nourishment can help us gain her blessings.

 Goddess Annapoorna Temples

 Annapoorna Temple, Varanasi

 The most famous temple of the goddess is in Varanasi. It is in Visheshwarganj, 15 meters North-West of the renowned Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, The temple stands at the place where she supposedly appeared and offered food to hungry people. It was built in the 18th century by the Maratha chieftain Peshwa Baji Rao.

 Annapoorneshwari Temple, Karnataka

 This Temple is located at Horanadu, 100 km from Chikmagalur. It lies amidst the thick forests and valleys of the Western Ghats of Karnataka.

 Annapoorneshwari Temple, Cherukunnu

 This Temple is a well-known Parvati temple in Kannur, Kerala. Here, she is worshipped as Annapoorneshwari. Here, she is present along with Krishna. It is believed that the goddess had visited the shrine, which was under the sea, many centuries ago.

 Annapoorna Mata Mantra

 ‘Om Annapurnayai Namaha’

 ‘Om Sadapurnayai Namaha’

 ‘Om Hrim Namo Bhagavati Maheswari Annapurne Swaha’

 ‘Om Hreem Shreem Kleem Namo Bhagwatye Maheshwari Annapurne Swaha’

 

Annapoorna Gayatri Mantra

 ‘Om Bhagwatye Vidmahe

 Maheshwarye Dheemahi

 Tanna Annapurna Prachodayat’.