PRAYER BEFORE MEAL

An-na   Poor-ne   Sa-daa   Poor-ne

Shan-ka-ra   Praa-na-val-la-bhe

Jnaa-na   Vai-raag-ya   Siddh-yar-tham

Bik-shaam  De-hi  cha  Paar-va-tee

MEANING OF PRAYER

O Annapurna, Who art ever full, 

The beloved life-force of Lord Sankara (Shiva) 

O’ Parvathi – grant me alms that I be firmly established in Knowledge and Renunciation.

Anna Poorna is the name of the Divine Mother. Some of the meanings of Her name are :

• She who is full, complete and perfect with food and grains

• She who gives nourishment

• She who is the strength of Shiva

• She who is the grantor of knowledge

Prayer Before Meal

Brahmārpañam, Brahma Havir, Brahmāgnau, Brahmañāhutaṃ,

Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahma karmā Samādhinah.

MEANING OF PRAYER

The act of offering is God. The oblation is God. By God it is offered into the Fire of God.

God is That which is to be attained by him who performs action pertaining to God.

Word For Word Translation

The act of offering food to the digestive fire in the body is compared to offering the butter into the sacred fire during worship.

brahmā: supreme spirit; arpañam: oblation, havih: butter,   agnau: in the fire of consummation.    

brahmana: by the spirit soul.   aahutam: offered.

brahma: spiritual kingdom:   eva: certainly.   tena: by him.  gantavyam: to be reached.

brahma: supreme.  karma: in activities.   samadhina: by complete absorption.