Annapurna’s Lesson to the World

Once upon a time, in a land that was once lush and fertile, a severe drought struck. Rivers dried up, crops withered, and the people were left with empty granaries. The once-vibrant fields now stood barren under the scorching sun, and hunger spread across the villages like wildfire. The people, who had always enjoyed the bounties of the land, now faced a harsh reality—there was no food, and the land could no longer provide for them.

Desperate, the villagers prayed to the gods for rain and relief, but their pleas seemed to go unanswered. In their despair, they began to argue and fight among themselves, blaming one another for the mismanagement of resources. The rich hoarded what little food remained, and the poor suffered the most, with many going days without a single meal. The land, once a symbol of prosperity, was now filled with despair and chaos.

Seeing the suffering of the people, Annapurna, the goddess of nourishment, decided to intervene. Disguising herself as an old woman, she walked through the villages, observing the devastation and the greed that had taken root in the hearts of the people. She saw how the rivers had been polluted, the forests cut down, and the soil overworked without care for replenishment. The people had grown careless, wasting food and neglecting the natural world that sustained them.

Annapurna approached a group of villagers who were arguing over the last remaining sacks of grain. “Why do you fight over this food?” she asked them. “Did you not once have more than enough to feed everyone?”

One of the villagers, a wealthy merchant, replied bitterly, “We had plenty, but the rains have abandoned us. Now there is nothing left, and we must fight to survive.”

The old woman shook her head. “It is not the rains that have abandoned you; it is you who have abandoned the land. You took more than you needed, wasted what was given, and now you suffer the consequences.”

The villagers, taken aback by her words, listened in silence as she continued. “Food is sacred. It is a gift from the earth, meant to be shared and respected. But you have been wasteful and greedy. You have forgotten that the land can only give as long as it is nurtured in return. You have drained its resources without giving anything back.”

With a wave of her hand, the old woman revealed her true form as Annapurna, radiant and powerful. The villagers fell to their knees, realizing they were in the presence of the goddess of food and nourishment. Annapurna’s gaze was stern yet compassionate.

“I will show you mercy,” she said, “but you must learn to respect the food you are given. You must honor the land and protect its resources. Only then will the rains return, and the earth will once again bear fruit.”

With those words, Annapurna blessed the land, and rain began to fall. The dry earth soaked up the water, and soon the rivers flowed once more. The fields, which had been barren, sprang to life with green shoots, and the crops began to grow again. The people rejoiced, but they remembered the goddess’s words. From that day forward, they worked together to care for the land. They planted trees, cleaned the rivers, and made sure to take only what they needed, ensuring that food was never wasted.

The land, in turn, rewarded them with abundant harvests, and the people prospered once more. They learned that food was not just a commodity but a sacred gift that connected them to the earth and to one another.

Moral: Respect nature’s resources and avoid wastefulness. The earth’s gifts, like food and water, are precious and should be cared for and shared. Greed and neglect lead to scarcity, but gratitude, sustainability, and cooperation bring abundance and harmony.