Annapūrṇā

Annapūrṇā is the devī (goddess) of food, nourishment and abundance. She is a form of Mahādevī, the Great Devī. The Purāṇic tradition celebrates her as the giver of endless food.

In the Vivāha Khaṇḍa of the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Annapūrṇā gave Agastya Maharṣi a divine vessel (pātra) that produces endless food. Lopāmudrā used this vessel to feed the whole party of Bhagavān Rāma and Sītā when they visited the āśrama (hermitage) in Daṇḍakāraṇya.

Her name

The name Annapūrṇā means “she who is full of food”. Anna means food and pūrṇā means full or complete. She is worshipped as the divine power of nourishment. She is specially honoured as the presiding devī of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), where the temple of Annapūrṇeśvarī is one of the most sacred shrines.

The vessel given to Agastya

Bhagavān Rāma visited the āśrama of Agastya Maharṣi with Sītā and the royal party. The party was very large. It had soldiers, attendants, princes, queens and ṛṣis.

Lopāmudrā fed the whole group with the pātra that Annapūrṇā herself had given to Agastya. The vessel gave whatever food was needed, in any amount, without limit. This account shows the bond between the great ṛṣi Agastya and the devī of endless nourishment.

Sources

• Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Khaṇḍa, Chapter 5