Annapurna (goddess)
Annapurna, Annapurneshwari, Annada or Annapoorna (Sanskrit: अन्नपूर्णा, IAST: Annapūrṇa, lit. filled with or possessed of food) is a manifestation of Parvati and is known as the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment. Worship and offering of food are highly praised in Hinduism, and therefore, the goddess Annapurna is regarded as a popular deity. She is a manifestation of the goddess Parvati, the consort of Shiva, and is eulogized in the Annada Mangal, a narrative poem in Bengali by Bharatchandra Ray. The Annapurna Sahasranam is dedicated to the goddess and praises her one thousand names, while the Annapurna Shatanama Stotram is dedicated to her 108 names.
| Annapurna | |
|---|---|
Goddess of Food and Nourishment | |
Annapurna (Parvati), sitting on the throne, giving alms to Shiva | |
| Sanskrit transliteration | Annapūrṇa |
| Sanskrit | अन्नपूर्णा |
| Affiliation | Parvati, Devi, Durga, Adi Parashakti |
| Abode | Mount Kailash |
| Mantra | Om Annapūrne Sadāpūrne Śankara Prāna Vallabhe Jnyāna Vairāghya Siddhyātam Bhikśām Dehī Ća Pārvatī |
| Symbol | Pot, Ladle |
| Day | Friday |
| Consort | Shiva |
A few temples exist that are dedicated to her, some of the most prominent being the Annapurna temple at Horanadu established by Sage Agastya on the banks of river Bhadra, Annapurna Devi Mandir in Varanasi and so on. Since Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be the birthdate of Annapurna, the day is believed to be very auspicious for buying gold jewellery.