The Anna Prashana Mantra is chanted during the Hindu samskara (sacrament) of first feeding, known as Annaprashana. This rite marks the child's transition from a milk-only diet to solid food, typically performed around the sixth month after birth. The mantras invoke divine blessings for the child's health, digestion, and overall well-being. The primary deity associated is Annapurna, the goddess of nourishment, though Lakshmi is also invoked for prosperity.
According to the Grihya Sutras, such as the Paraskara Grihya Sutra (1.19), the ceremony involves feeding the child a mixture of rice, ghee, and honey while reciting specific mantras. The Mantra Mahodadhi (9.54-56) describes the beej mantra 'Om Annapurnayai Namah' as a potent invocation for sustenance. The phonetics of 'Annapurna' (अन्नपूर्णा) combine 'anna' (food) and 'purna' (full), symbolizing complete nourishment. The traditional purpose is to ensure the child's physical growth, strong digestion, and freedom from food-related ailments.
Chanting is recommended during the ceremony, ideally in the morning after a bath, with the father or priest reciting while feeding the child with a gold or silver spoon. The count is typically 108 repetitions of the mantra 'Om Annapurnayai Namah' or the longer Vedic verse from the Rigveda (10.117.6) praising food as life-giving. Ritual setting includes a clean, sanctified space with offerings of rice, fruits, and sweets. Cautions include ensuring the child is calm and not forced to eat; the mantra should be chanted with clear pronunciation and devotion.
The Devi Mahatmya (Chapter 11) extols Annapurna as the bestower of food, linking the mantra to cosmic nourishment. This samskara is pan-Indian, with regional variations in the specific mantras used, but always centered on the child's health and the blessings of the divine mother.
Salutations to Annapurna, the goddess of nourishment.
Contains no distinct seed-syllable; 'Om' is the universal bija.