Recited before meals in several traditional households, the Shloka Anna Brahma Raso Vishnu reminds us of the importance and sacredness of food.
The Shloka beautifully presents the three fundamental processes of creation, preservation, and transformation, linking them to the Trinity and food.
Traditionally, this Shloka is used to remove various Doshas, or impurities, that arise from harmful glances towards food or from preparing it with negative intentions or thoughts.
Anna Brahma Raso Vishnu Shloka reminds us to treat food with reverence, recognising it as a divine force that sustains life.
It teaches us to understand food and eating not just as a physical substance for nourishment, but to treat every meal as a divine blessing and as a sacred act that supports spiritual practice.
Anna Brahma Raso Vishnu Shloka Lyrics and Meaning
अन्नं ब्रह्म रसो विष्णुः
भोक्ता देवो महेश्वरः।
एवं सञ्चिन्त्य भुञ्जानः
दृष्टिदोषैर्न लिप्यते॥
Annaṁ Brahma Raso Viṣṇuḥ
Bhoktā Devo Maheśvaraḥ।
Evaṁ Sañcintya Bhuñjānaḥ
Dṛṣṭi-Doṣair Na Lipyate॥
Meaning – Food is the Lord Brahma (indicating it as the source of life). Its nourishing essence is Lord Vishnu (as it sustains all beings). The eater is the Maheshwara (Lord Shiva – representing the transformative energy that transforms food into energy and further life of all beings). Thus, the person eating food with an understanding of its greatness remains unaffected by the negative glances or impurities associated with others gaze on that food.
