The Annapurna Stotra (Sanskrit: अन्नपूर्णास्तोत्रम्, romanizedAnnapūrṇāstotraṃ) is a Hindu stotra written by the philosopher Adi Shankara.[1] Comprising 12 verses,[2] the work extols the goddess Annapurna, an aspect of the goddess Parvati.[3][4]

Annapurna Stotra
Bazaar art of Annapurna offering alms to Shiva
Information
ReligionHinduism
AuthorAdi Shankara
LanguageSanskrit
Verses12

Description edit

The hymn is based on the legend of Annapurna, a form of the goddess Parvati who represents nourishment and sustenance. Her consort, Shiva, is regarded to have begged for food from her to save the inhabitants of earth from starvation after she withdrew all sources of food from living beings.[5]

The Annapurna Stotra is popularly sung in Varanasi in performance of the arati ritual to propitiate the goddess.[6]

Hymn edit

The first hymn of the mantra describes the attributes of Annapurna:[7][8]

nityānandakarī varābhayakarī saundarya ratnākarī
nirdhūtākhila ghōra pāvanakarī pratyakṣa māhēśvarī
prālēyāchala vaṃśa pāvanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
bhikṣāṃ dēhi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇēśvarī

— Verse 1

O benign Mother, who pourest out upon us everlasting bliss! Thou, the ocean of beauty! Bestower of boons and fearlessness! O supreme purifier, who washes away all sins! Thou, the visible ruler of the world, the sanctifier of King Himalaya's line! O thou, the Queen Empress of holy Kashi! Divine Annapurna! Be gracious unto me and grant me alms.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Isayeva, Natalia (2016-03-22). Shankara and Indian Philosophy. State University of New York Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-4384-0762-3.
  2. ^ 2nd Chapter Books. p. 94.
  3. ^ SUVRATSUT (2018-01-06). Annapurna Stotram. p. 1.
  4. ^ Chanting Books. p. 100.
  5. ^ Dalal, Roshen (2014-04-18). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. p. 194. ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9.
  6. ^ Lienhard, Siegfried (1984). A History of Classical Poetry: Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 139. ISBN 978-3-447-02425-9.
  7. ^ K Varma, Pavan. Adi Sankaracharya Collection (+biography,comic). p. 254.
  8. ^ AVALON, ARTHUR (2021-01-01). Hymns to the Goddess: Hymns to the Goddess: Arthur Avalon's Reverential Collection of Devotional Poems. Prabhat Prakashan. p. 121.