Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25
द्वितीयतृतीयावरणपूजाक्रमः | The Sequence of the Second and Third Enclosure Worship (Āvaraṇa-pūjā)
रुद्रो वरुणदिक्पत्रे विष्णुरुत्तरदिग्दले । चतुर्णामपि देवानां पृथगावरणान्यथ
rudro varuṇadikpatre viṣṇuruttaradigdale | caturṇāmapi devānāṃ pṛthagāvaraṇānyatha
Rudra is placed upon the petal in the direction of Varuṇa (the western quarter), and Viṣṇu upon the petal in the northern direction. Thus, for all four deities, the enclosing circles (āvaraṇa), as protective coverings, are to be arranged separately in due order.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches that worship is not random but ordered: divine powers are invoked directionally in a consecrated maṇḍala, so the sādhaka’s mind becomes protected (āvaraṇa) and steadily oriented toward Pati—Rudra—who grants liberation.
In saguna upāsanā, the Liṅga or Śiva is worshipped within a structured field of sanctity—directions, petals, and āvaraṇas—so that all invoked forces support Śiva-centered realization rather than dispersing attention.
A directional lotus/maṇḍala visualization or placement during pūjā/nyāsa: assign deities to specific petals and establish separate protective āvaraṇas, while maintaining japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the stabilizing core.