Food-Blessing Chant
भॊजनमन्त्रम्
A Prayer of Gratitude to the Source of Sustenance.
Lines 1-4 are from Śrī Śaṅkarāchārya’s Annapūrṇāshṭakam.
Lines 5-6are the Īśa Upanishad invocation.
Lines 7-8 are a traditional Śaivite closing.
Aum, beloved Śakti of Śiva, Fullness everlasting and fully manifest as this food; O, Mother of the universe, nourish us with this gift of food so that we may attain knowledge, dispassion and spiritual perfection. Goddess Pārvatī is my mother. God Maheśvara is my father. All devotees of Śiva are my family. All three worlds are my home. Aum, Śiva is Fullness. Creation is fullness. From Śiva’s Fullness flows this world’s fullness. This fullness issues from that Fullness, yet that Fullness remains full. Aum, peace, peace, peace. Aum, this I offer unto Śiva.§