Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4
आवरणपूजाविधानम् / The Procedure of Āvaraṇa (Enclosure) Worship
ऐशान्यां पूर्वभागे च दक्षिणे चोत्तरे तथा । पश्चिमे च तथाग्नेय्यामैशान्यां नैरृते तथा
aiśānyāṃ pūrvabhāge ca dakṣiṇe cottare tathā | paścime ca tathāgneyyāmaiśānyāṃ nairṛte tathā
في جهة الشمال الشرقي (أيشانيا)، وفي الناحية الشرقية، وكذلك في الجنوب وفي الشمال؛ وفي الغرب أيضًا؛ وكذلك في الجنوب الشرقي (آغنيَيا)، وفي الشمال الشرقي، وفي الجنوب الغربي (نَيْرِرْتَ)—يُفهم أن الترتيب/الوضع يكون في جميع هذه الجهات.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Significance: Directional specification for āvaraṇa placement reflects the ‘binding’ power of spatial order and protective boundaries in ritual: the sacred enclosure (āvaraṇa) organizes the worship-space so that the paśu’s attention is gathered and safeguarded, countering dispersion caused by pāśa (māyā/impurity).
FAQs
It emphasizes that Shaiva worship is to be harmonized with sacred space (dik), acknowledging Īśāna—the Shiva-presiding quarter—while also indicating completeness across all directions, expressing Shiva’s all-pervasiveness as Pati.
Direction-based guidance supports Saguna worship of the Shiva Linga by aligning the devotee’s ritual space with quarters traditionally presided over by divine powers, especially Īśāna, thereby making the external worship a disciplined doorway to inner realization.
Establish or approach the worship-space with awareness of the quarters—preferably honoring the Īśāna (north-east) orientation—then perform japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Linga-upacāra with purity and steadiness.