Annapurna

Annapurna is the goddess of food and nourishment, a form of Parvati. The name means 'filled with food' — in whose lap there is never a shortage of grain; at her famous temple in Varanasi it is said that Shiva himself dwells there as her companion. Food is the first need of life, so her worship is observed for the relief of hunger and the prosperity of devotees. In many homes the Annapurna Stotra is recited in the kitchen, and feeding others is regarded as her supreme service.