Pañcāvaraṇa Pūjā

Pañcāvaraṇa pūjā means “pūjā in five enclosures”. An āvaraṇa is a ring or layer around a centre. This is the most detailed form of Śiva pūjā described in the Vāyavīya Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa. It is counted among the kāmya karmas (rites done to fulfil wishes), but its highest fruit is moksha, liberation.

In this pūjā, all the devatās of the Śaiva picture of the universe are set out in five rings around a central Śivaliṅga. The Pañcabrahma (the five faces of Śiva) are at the centre, followed by the vidyeśvaras, the ashṭamūrtis, the trimūrtis (Brahmā, Vishṇu and Śiva with the forms that come from them), and finally the outer ring of Sūrya and the planets. In this way the whole universe is honoured as the body of Śiva.

Setting and Purpose

The pañcāvaraṇa pūjā is introduced in Chapters 29–30 of the Uttara Khaṇḍa as the highest form of yogeśvara karma: the pūjā suited to those who have received full Śaiva dīkshā (initiation) and are following the complete Śivadharma. Although it is counted as kāmya karma (because it can fulfil worldly wishes), its final fruits are said to be:

  • Rule over all realms
  • The eight great siddhis (aṇimā, mahimā and the others)
  • The grace of all the devatās, from Brahmā downward
  • And, above all, Śivaloka: liberation in Śiva’s own realm

The pūjā is done on a set maṇḍala (sacred diagram) made with coloured powders, flower petals or rice on a purified surface.

The Five Āvaraṇas (Rings)

First Āvaraṇa: The Pañcabrahma

At the very centre, on or around the Śivaliṅga, the five forms of the Pañcabrahma are honoured:

  • Īśāna: above (the zenith)
  • Tatpurusha: east
  • Aghora: south
  • Vāmadeva: north
  • Sadyojāta: west

These five stand for Śiva’s own five-fold nature as creator, sustainer, dissolver, concealer and giver of grace. Their bīja (seed) mantras, mudrās (hand gestures) and offerings are laid down in detail.

Second Āvaraṇa: The Vidyeśvaras

The eight vidyeśvaras (rulers of sacred knowledge) fill the second ring:

  • Ananta, Sūkshma, Śivottama, Ekanetra, Ekarudra, Trimūrti, Śrīkaṇṭha and Śikhaṇḍin

They are forms that come forth from Śiva. They rule over the Śaiva āgamas (scriptures) and over the passing on of divine knowledge. They are honoured with set mantras and offerings in the eight directions.

Third Āvaraṇa: The Ashṭamūrti

The eight elemental forms of Śiva fill the third ring:

  1. Śarva: Śiva as Pṛthivī (earth)
  2. Bhava: Śiva as Āpaḥ (water)
  3. Rudra: Śiva as Tejas (fire)
  4. Ugra: Śiva as Vāyu (air)
  5. Bhīma: Śiva as Ākāśa (space)
  6. Paśupati: Śiva as Kshetrajña (the knower of the field, the inner self)
  7. Mahādeva: Śiva as Sūrya (the sun)
  8. Īśāna: Śiva as Soma (the moon)

Each is honoured in its own direction with its own offering, mantra and nyāsa (placing of mantras on the body).

Fourth Āvaraṇa: The Trimūrtis and the Forms That Come from Them

The fourth ring holds the main devatās of the visible universe, in groups.

Śiva’s own family:

  • Pārvatī (Umā), Gaṇeśa (Vināyaka), Kumāra (Skanda) and Nandīśvara

Brahmā and his sons:

  • Brahmā, with the four Vedas as his sons (Ṛk, Yajus, Sāman and Atharvan)
  • The seven ṛshis (the Saptarshis)
  • Daksha, Marīci and the Prajāpatis

Vishṇu, his vyūhas and his avatāras:

  • Vishṇu in his four vyūha forms: Vāsudeva, Saṅkarshaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha
  • The ten main avatāras: Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, Paraśurāma, Rāma, Kṛshṇa, Buddha and Kalki

All of these are understood to be, in the end, forms of Śiva’s own self-expression. In this Śaiva pūjā, all the Vaishṇava forms are included as expressions of Śiva’s sthiti-śakti, his power of sustaining.

Fifth Āvaraṇa: Sūrya and the Planets

The outermost ring holds the powers that govern time and karma in the universe.

Sūrya and his companions:

  • Sūrya (the sun) in his twelve monthly forms, the twelve Ādityas
  • Aruṇa, Sūrya’s charioteer
  • The seven horses of the sun’s chariot

The nine planets (Navagrahas):

  • Sūrya, Candra, Maṅgala, Budha, Bṛhaspati, Śukra, Śani, Rāhu and Ketu

The Vāyavīya says clearly that Sūrya is Śiva’s own form (the ashṭamūrti includes Śiva as Sūrya). So honouring Sūrya in this outer ring is honouring Śiva in his form as the sun.

The Maṇḍala

The maṇḍala for the pañcāvaraṇa pūjā is made as five squares or circles, one inside another, each for one āvaraṇa. The Śivaliṅga is placed at the exact centre. Set colours are given for each ring: white for the inner rings, becoming more varied towards the outside. The maṇḍala is itself a map of Śiva’s cosmic body. The worshipper who makes it creates a small Kailāsa in the place of pūjā.

Naivedya and Offerings

Each devatā in each āvaraṇa receives its own naivedya (food offering):

  • Inner rings: pure sāttvika foods, milk dishes and fruits
  • The Pañcabrahma at the centre receive the finest offerings: honey, ghee and sugarcane juice
  • The outer planets receive suitable offerings of grains and sesame

The offerings go through the āvaraṇas from the outside in, moving towards Śiva. The visarjana (sending off of the devatās at the end) goes the other way, from the centre outward.

The Śiva Mahā Stotra

Chapter 31 of the Uttara Khaṇḍa contains the Śiva Mahā Stotra, the great hymn of praise recited during or after the pañcāvaraṇa pūjā. It praises:

  • Each of the forms of the Pañcabrahma
  • Pārvatī (as Umā, the śakti of all śaktis)
  • Gaṇapati (the remover of all obstacles)
  • Kumāra (the commander of the army of the devas)
  • Śiva in his highest form as Sadāśiva

The stotra ends with a śānti-pāṭha (recitation for peace) that calls for peace in all the worlds.

The Fruits of the Practice

The Vāyavīya describes the fruits of the pañcāvaraṇa pūjā in Chapter 32 of the Uttara Khaṇḍa:

  • Those who perform the full pūjā correctly gain mastery over all eight siddhis
  • The eight guardians of the directions (ashṭadikpālas) become favourable
  • All diseases are destroyed
  • All enemies are calmed
  • Final liberation in Śivaloka is gained

Even partial practice gives partial fruit. One who performs the inner three āvaraṇas gains the joys of svarga. One who performs only the Pañcabrahma āvaraṇa gains Śiva’s grace for this lifetime.

Its Place Among Other Forms of Pūjā

The pañcāvaraṇa is presented as the highest form of yogeśvara karma. This is separate from, but works together with:

  • Nitya pūjā (daily pūjā): simpler pūjā of the Śivaliṅga with pañcāmṛta abhisheka (bathing with five sacred liquids)
  • Naimittika pūjā (pūjā for occasions): pūjā on festival days
  • Kāmya karma (rites for wishes): the pañcāvaraṇa belongs to this group on paper, but rises above it because it aims at moksha

The Śivaliṅga pratishṭhā (installation of the liṅga) must come first. The pañcāvaraṇa is performed around a liṅga that has been properly installed and consecrated.

Sources

  • Śiva Purāṇa, Vāyavīya Saṃhitā (Book 7), Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapters 29–32