The Beings Who Surround Lord Shiva

In Tantra, we see Lord Śiva as the absolute reality Who is surrounded by different groups of deities. Lord Śiva is surrounded by 5 dimensions which house these groups of deities.

Kāmikā Āgama, Arcanā Vidhi, verses 186-188:

अस्मिन्देहे प्रवितते कल्प्य शक्त्याब्जमासनम्। 

मूर्तिविद्यातनुं कल्प्य समावाह्य शिवं ततः॥ 

कर्णिकायां यजेद्देवं ब्रह्माङ्गैश्च समावृतम्। 

गणेशैः लोकपालैश्च हेतिभिर्वज्रपूर्वकैः ॥ 

त्रिभिरावरणैर्वापि एकेनावरणेन वा। 

सप्तविंशत्यावरणैः यथाशक्ति समर्चयेत्॥

asmindehe pravitate kalpya śaktyābjamāsanam। 

mūrtividyātanuṃ kalpya samāvāhya śivaṃ tataḥ॥ 

karṇikāyāṃ yajeddevaṃ brahmāṅgaiśca samāvṛtam। 

gaṇeśaiḥ lokapālaiśca hetibhirvajrapūrvakaiḥ ॥ 

tribhirāvaraṇairvāpi ekenāvaraṇena vā। 

saptaviṃśatyāvaraṇaiḥ yathāśakti samarcayet॥

Meaning:

In this body ( the image in which we are consecrating the lord ) which has well expanded now, the sādhaka should design a lotus-seat of pure energy (śakti). Having materialized the vidyā deha (knowledge-body), he should invoke Lord Śiva to reside in that form. On the pericarp of the lotus seat created, the sādhaka shall worship Lord Śiva and the deities who surround Him, namely the Brahmā and Aṅga mantras, Vidyeśvaras, Gaṇeśvaras, lokapālas, and the astras (weapons). Here, one may choose to worship Lord śiva as being surrounded by 3 enclosures, 1 āvaraṇa, or 27 āvaraṇas.

Deities of the 1st enclosure

(1) Prathamāvaraṇe Saṃhitāmantreśvarān Yajet (First Āvaraṇa)

The first layer (prathamāvaraṇa) consists of Mantreśvaras. These are the deity forms of the Saṃhitā Mantras of Śaiva Tantra. The Saṃhitā Mantras are combinations of the Brahma Mantras and Aṅga Mantras, which form the mantra-maya śarīra ( body made of mantras) of Lord Śiva.

Mantra-Maya Śarīra

Lord Śiva's body is conceptualized as a mantra-maya śarīra, a body made entirely of mantras. This idea arises from the understanding that the entire cosmos is fundamentally composed of vibration, sound energy, or mantra. Lord Śiva, as the embodiment of the cosmos, is therefore said to possess a body formed of mantras.

(The Vedas themselves are said to have been revealed to ancient ṛṣis as sound vibrations or mantras when they tapped into the cosmic archive.)

In Tantra, the Saṃhitā Mantras are recognized as the elements constituting Lord Śiva's body. These mantras manifest as deities, the Mantreśvaras, who occupy the first layer.

Brahma Mantras

The following are the Brahma Mantras corresponding to the five facets of Lord Śiva:

1. oṃ hoṃ īśānamūrdhāya namaḥ
   (ॐ हों ईशानमूर्धाय नमः) – For the Head.

2. oṃ heṃ tatpuruṣavaktrāya namaḥ
   (ॐ हे तत्पुरुषवक्त्राय नमः) – For the Face.

3. oṃ huṃ aghorahṛdayāya namaḥ
   (ॐ हुं अघोरहृदयाय नमः) – For the Heart, chest, and related parts.

4. oṃ hiṃ vāmadevaguhyāya namaḥ
   (ॐ हिं वामदेवगुह्याय नमः) – For the Genitals, hips, and related parts.

5. oṃ haṃ sadyojātamūrtaye namaḥ
   (ॐ हं सद्योजातमूर्तये नमः) – For the Limbs.

The Brahma Mantras originate from the Yajur Veda, where they elaborate on the fivefold aspects of Lord Śiva:

• Sadyojāta
• Vāmadeva
• Aghora
• Tatpuruṣa
• Īśāna

These facets collectively represent the totality of Śiva's cosmic and transcendental form. Each mantra is associated with a specific region of His mantra-maya śarīra and is venerated in the first āvaraṇa of worship.

Video: My student Kum. Shravanthi and I reciting the Yajur Vedic portion which describes the brahma mantras of Lord Śiva, which is used in Tantra.

Aṅga Mantras: :

1. oṃ hāṃ hṛdayāya namaḥ
   (ॐ हां हृदयाय नमः) – For the Heart.

2. oṃ hīṃ śirase namaḥ
   (ॐ हीं शिरसे नमः) – For the Head.

3. oṃ hūṃ śikhāyai namaḥ
   (ॐ हूं शिखायै नमः) – For the Crown of the Head (Topknot).

4. oṃ haiṃ kavacāya namaḥ
   (ॐ हैं कवचाय नमः) – For the Armor (Protection).

5. oṃ hauṃ netrebhyo namaḥ
   (ॐ हौं नेत्रेभ्यो नमः) – For the Eyes.

6. oṃ haḥ astrāya namaḥ
   (ॐ हः अस्त्राय नमः) – For the Weapon (Astra).

  (2) dvitīyāvaraṇe - vidyeśvarāṃ yajet ( 2nd avaraṇa )

The 2nd layer is occupied by the Vidyeśvaras.

There are 8 Vidyeśvara-s who are all-knowing and they wield authority over the Rājarājeśvaras.

They are actually different manifestations or incarnations of Śiva.

These 8 deities are ananta, sūkṣma, śivottamaḥ, ekanetra, ekarudra, trimūrti, śrīkaṇṭha, and śikhaṇḍī.

Lord Śiva performs the five-fold cosmic action (creation, preservation, dissolution, obscuration, and liberation) in the form of these 8 Vidyeśvara-s

(3) tṛtīyāvaraṇe - śivagaṇeśvarān yajet (3rd āvaraṇa)

This refers to the 3rd layer which is occupied by the leaders of the Śiva gaṇa-s. The Gaṇeśvaras execute function through the Śiva gaṇas. The deities who come in this āvaraṇa are Nandi, Mahākālā ( , Bhṛṅgi, Vināyakā, Vṛṣabhā, Skandā, Devī, and Caṇḍeśvarā.

The head of all the gaṇas is Mahāgaṇapati.

Image: Mahākālā ( Karuppaṇasāmi ) occupies the 3rd enclosure

(4) caturthāvaraṇe - lokeśvarān yajet ( 4th avaraṇa )

The 4th layer is occupied by the dik pālaka-s. These are the deities who protect the 10 directions.

These deities are indra, agni, yamā, nirṛta, varuṇā, vāyu, kuberā, īśāna, brahmā and viṣṇu. These deities have the function of liberating beings from both pure and impure maya tattva-s.

(5) pañcamāvaraṇe - astreśvarān yajet ( 5th avaraṇa )

These are the lord of astras or weapons.

The role of the astreśvarā to execute an action based on an astra.

In Tantra, we do puja to the astra-s of the lokeśvarā-s. The list of astra-s to be worshiped:

(1) vajrā ( indra )

(2) śakti ( agni )

(3) daṇḍa ( yama )

(4) khaḍgā ( nirṛta )

(5) pāśa ( varuṇā )

(6) dhvajā ( vāyu )

(7) gadā ( kuberā )

(8) triśulā ( īśāna )

(9)  padmā ( brahmā )

(10) cakra ( viṣṇu ) 

In every invocation of Lord Śiva in Tantra, we invoke and worship all the deities in these five layers (pañcāvaraṇas).

It is essential to note that all these deities are verily manifestations of Śiva. They are not separate from Him; they exist in a state of absolute oneness with Śiva.

This unity is the reason why, in Śaiva Tantra, we offer worship to all these deities using the bīja mantra of Śiva, 'hāṃ'.

For example, when we worship Vināyaka as a deity of the enclosure, we use 'hāṃ', and not 'gaṃ'.

When we worship the same Vināyaka as the absolute reality, we use gaṃ.

Similarly, when we invoke Varuṇa in a kalaśa during Puṇyāhavācana, we use the bīja 'vāṃ'. However, when we worship Varuṇa as a deity of the Pañcāvaraṇa, we use the bīja 'hāṃ'

READ MORE:

1. 36 tattvas in Shaivism