Original text
नित्यानन्दकरी वराभयकरी सौन्दर्यरत्नाकरी निर्धूताखिलघोरपावनकरी प्रत्यक्षमाहेश्वरी । प्रालेयाचलवंशपावनकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥१॥ नानारत्नविचित्रभूषणकरी हेमाम्बराडम्बरी मुक्ताहारविलम्बमानविलसद्वक्षोजकुम्भान्तरी । काश्मीरागरुवासिताङ्गरुचिरे काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥२॥ योगानन्दकरी रिपुक्षयकरी धर्मार्थनिष्ठाकरी चन्द्रार्कानलभासमानलहरी त्रैलोक्यरक्षाकरी । सर्वैश्वर्यसमस्तवाञ्छितकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥३॥ कैलासाचलकन्दरालयकरी गौरी उमा शङ्करी कौमारी निगमार्थगोचरकरी ओङ्कारबीजाक्षरी । मोक्षद्वारकपाटपाटनकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥४॥ दृश्यादृश्यविभूतिवाहनकरी ब्रह्माण्डभाण्डोदरी लीलानाटकसूत्रभेदनकरी विज्ञानदीपाङ्कुरी । श्रीविश्वेशमनःप्रसादनकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥५॥ उर्वीसर्वजनेश्वरी भगवती मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी वेणीनीलसमानकुन्तलहरी नित्यान्नदानेश्वरी । सर्वानन्दकरी सदा शुभकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥६॥ आदिक्षान्तसमस्तवर्णनकरी शम्भोस्त्रिभावाकरी काश्मीरात्रिजलेश्वरी त्रिलहरी नित्याङ्कुरा शर्वरी । कामाकाङ्क्षकरी जनोदयकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥७॥ देवी सर्वविचित्ररत्नरचिता दाक्षायणी सुन्दरी वामं स्वादुपयोधरप्रियकरी सौभाग्यमाहेश्वरी । भक्ताभीष्टकरी सदा शुभकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥८॥ चन्द्रार्कानलकोटिकोटिसदृशा चन्द्रांशुबिम्बाधरी चन्द्रार्काग्निसमानकुन्तलधरी चन्द्रार्कवर्णेश्वरी । मालापुस्तकपाशासाङ्कुशधरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥९॥ क्षत्रत्राणकरी महाऽभयकरी माता कृपासागरी साक्षान्मोक्षकरी सदा शिवकरी विश्वेश्वरश्रीधरी । दक्षाक्रन्दकरी निरामयकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥१०॥ अन्नपूर्णे सदापूर्णे शङ्करप्राणवल्लभे । ज्ञानवैराग्यसिद्ध्यर्थं भिक्षां देहि च पार्वति ॥११॥ माता च पार्वती देवी पिता देवो महेश्वरः । बान्धवाः शिवभक्ताश्च स्वदेशो भुवनत्रयम् ॥१२॥
Transliteration
Nityanandakari varabhayakari saundaryaratnakari Nirdhutakhilaghorapavanakari pratyakshamaheshvari | Praleyachalavanshapavanakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||1|| Nanaratnavichitrabhushanakari hemambaradambari Muktaharavilambamanavilasadvakshojakumbhantari | Kashmiragaruvasitangaruchire kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||2|| Yoganandakari ripukshayakari dharmarthanishthakari Chandrarkanalabhasamanalahari trailokyarakshakari | Sarvaishvaryasamastavanchhitakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||3|| Kailasachalakandaralayakari gauri uma shankari Kaumari nigamarthagocharakari onkarabijakshari | Mokshadvarakapatapatanakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||4|| Drishyadrishyavibhutivahanakari brahmandabhandodari Lilanatakasutrabhedanakari vijnanadipankuri | Shrivishveshamanahprasadanakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||5|| Urvisarvajaneshvari bhagavati matannapurneshvari Veninilasamanakuntalahari nityannadaneshvari | Sarvanandakari sada shubhakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||6|| Adikshantasamastavarnanakari shambhostribhavakari Kashmiratrijaleshvari trilahari nityankura sharvari | Kamakankshakari janodayakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||7|| Devi sarvavichitraratnarachita dakshayani sundari Vamam svadupayodharapriyakari saubhagyamaheshvari | Bhaktabhishtakari sada shubhakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||8|| Chandrarkanalakotikotisadrisha chandranshubimbadhari Chandrarkagnisamanakuntaladhari chandrarkavarneshvari | Malapustakapashasankushadhari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||9|| Kshatratranakari mahabhayakari mata kripasagari Sakshanmokshakari sada shivakari vishveshvarashridhari | Dakshakrandakari niramayakari kashipuradhishvari Bhiksham dehi kripavalambanakari matannapurneshvari ||10|| Annapurne sadapurne shankarapranavallabhe | Jnanavairagyasiddhyartham bhiksham dehi cha parvati ||11|| Mata cha parvati devi pita devo maheshvarah | Bandhavah shivabhaktashcha svadesho bhuvanatrayam ||12||
Annapurna, queen of Kashi
Annapurna, "full of food", is the form of Parvati who feeds the world. In the Kashi tradition, Shiva himself comes to her with a begging bowl, which is why her temple stands beside Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi. This stotra, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, puts the devotee in the same position as Shiva: every verse ends by holding out the bowl, bhiksham dehi, "give me alms".
What the verses say
- Who she is: giver of eternal bliss, of boons and fearlessness, ocean of beauty, Maheshwari made visible, purifier of the Himalayan line, and Kashipuradhishvari, queen of the city of Kashi.
- Her adornment: jewels, golden garments, pearl necklaces, fragrant with saffron and agaru.
- Her power: she destroys enemies, establishes dharma and artha, shines like sun, moon and fire, and protects the three worlds; she is Gauri, Uma, Shankari and Kaumari, the meaning of the Vedas and the seed syllable Om, and "she breaks open the door of liberation".
- Her cosmic form: she carries the visible and invisible worlds, holds the universe in her belly, lights the lamp of wisdom, and pleases the mind of Shri Vishwesha (Shiva).
- The request (verse 11): "Annapurna, ever full, beloved of Shankara's life, give me alms, Parvati, for the attainment of knowledge and dispassion." The alms asked for is wisdom, not only food.
- Verse 12: "My mother is the goddess Parvati, my father the god Maheshwara, my kin are Shiva's devotees, my homeland the three worlds."
When to recite it
- Before meals, or before cooking in the kitchen, where many keep an image of Annapurna.
- On Annapurna Jayanti (Margashirsha Purnima), at Annakut after Diwali, and during the Annapurna vrat.
- At griha pravesh and the first cooking in a new kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Annapurna Stotram?
It is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, and is often printed with "Shri Shankaracharya kritam".
What does "bhiksham dehi" mean?
"Give me alms". The devotee approaches Annapurna as Shiva does, as a mendicant with a bowl.
What alms does the stotra ask for?
Verse 11 asks for alms "for the attainment of knowledge and dispassion", food for the spirit as well as the body.
Where is the Annapurna temple of Kashi?
In Varanasi, next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple; it is especially celebrated around Diwali and Annakut.
Where does "Mata cha Parvati Devi" come from?
It is the final verse of this stotra, often recited on its own as a statement of belonging to Shiva and Parvati.
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