Annapurna (goddess)

Annapurna, Annapurneshwari, Annada or Annapoorna (Sanskrit: अन्नपूर्णा, Bengali: অন্নপূর্ণা, 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 wife 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. A few temples exist that are dedicated to her, some of the most prominent being the Annapoorna 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 jewelry. Annapurna is derived from Sanskrit meaning the giver of food and nourishment. Anna (अन्न) means "food" or "grains" and pūrṇa (पूर्ण) means "full, complete and perfect." It is believed that Mount Annapurna in the Himalayas is named after her as the goddess is believed to be one of the daughters of Himavat, the king of the mountains. The Western world names her the "Hindu God of Cooking," considering her association with food items. The other names of Annapurna are: Viśālākshī (Sanskrit: विशालाक्षी) – she who has large eyes. Viśvaśakti (Sanskrit: विश्वशक्ति) – world power. Viśvamātā (Sanskrit: विश्वमाता) – mother of the world. Sṛṣtihetukāvaradānī (Sanskrit: सृष्टिहेतुकावरदानी) – she who is a boon granter for the sake of the world. Bhuvaneśvarī (Sanskrit: भुवनेश्वरी) – goddess of earth. Renu – goddess of Atom. Annadā (Sanskrit: अन्नदा) – donor of food. The Agamas (religious texts) describe the iconography of Annapoorna as a youthful goddess having red complexion with a face round like the full moon, three eyes, high breasts, and four hands.