We are now going to enter the second āvaraṇa (dvitīyāvaraṇa द्वितीयावरण). This enclosure is known as sarvāśā-paripūraka cakra (सर्वाशा-परिपूरक चक्र). Presiding deity of this āvaraṇa is Tripureśīcakreśvarī (presiding deity of the first āvaraṇa is Tripurācakreśvarī. The difference is Tripurā in the first āvaraṇa and Tripureśī in this āvaraṇa). Laghimāsiddhi is the Siddhi Devi. Sarvavidhrāviṇī is the Mudrāśakti and Guptayoginī is the Yoginī. At the end of this āvaraṇa, these śaktī-s are worshipped. Lalitā Mahātripurasundarī Parā Bhṭṭārikā is also worshipped in each of the āvaraṇa-s. Each āvaraṇa has one specific mudra with which Parāśakti is worshipped and apart from the specific mudra, She is also worshipped with yoni mudra at the end of each āvaraṇa.
The second āvaraṇa is in the form of lotus petals (ṣoḍaśadala padma षोडशदल पद्म) and there are sixteen such lotus petals that form sarvāśā-paripūraka cakra. Between the first enclosure and this enclosure, there are three circles known as trivṛtta or trivalaya, where tri refers to numeric three and vṛtta or valaya means circles. There are no śaktī-s in any of these three circles guarding Śri Cakra. There circles are not worshipped. These circles mean three of the four puruṣārtha-s (human pursuits) viz. dharama (prescribed conduct), artha (acquiring wealth) and kāma (satiating desires). The fourth puruṣārtha, viz. mokṣa (liberation) can be attained only if we reach the central triangle of Śri Cakra.
This āvaraṇa is worshipped in anticlockwise direction, as indicated by ascending numerical in the chart (in red ink). The sixteen lotus petals are attached to trivṛtta in the outer side and in the inner side they are attached to the eight lotus petals of the third āvaraṇa. Now let us begin our journey in the second āvaraṇa for worshipping these sixteen śaktī-s. It is to be remembered that we are now moving anticlockwise direction.
1. Kāmākarṣiṇī nityakalādevī कामाकर्षिणी नित्यकलादेवी. (nityakalādevī is to be suffixed to all the devi-s mentioned hereafter). 2. Buddhyakarṣiṇī बुद्ध्यकर्षिणी; 3. Ahaṁkārākarṣiṇī अहंकाराकर्षिणी; 4. Śabdākarṣiṇī शब्दाकर्षिणी; 5. Sparśākarṣiṇī स्पर्शाकर्षिणी; 6. Rūpākarṣiṇī रूपाकर्षिणी; 7. Rasākarṣiṇī रसाकर्षिणी; 8. Gandhākarṣiṇī गन्धाकर्षिणी; 9. Cittākarṣiṇī चित्ताकर्षिणी; 10. Dhairyākarṣiṇī धैर्याकर्षिणी; 11. Smṛtyāākarṣiṇī स्मृत्याकर्षिणी; 12. Nāmākarṣiṇī नामाकर्षिणी; 13. Bījākarṣiṇī बीजाकर्षिणी; 14. Ātmākarṣiṇī आत्माकर्षिणी; 15. Amṛtākarṣiṇī अमृताकर्षिणी 16. Śarīrākarṣiṇī nityakalādevī शरीराकर्षिणी नित्यकलादेवी.
During our journey in the previous āvaraṇa, we wound up at 28, as indicated in the chart. This āvaraṇa is placed opposite (around 600) to 28. We have to reach 1(indicated in red ink in the chart) of second āvaraṇa from 28 of first āvaraṇa, moving in anticlockwise direction. Once we reach 1 of this āvaraṇa, we move forward only in anticlockwise direction.
These sixteen petals refer to multiple things and they are -
1. Each petal has one vowel embedded in it. There are sixteen vowels in Sanskrit, a to aḥ (अ to अः).Since this ṣoḍaśadala padma holds all the sixteen vowels, this cakra produces words, their sound (pronunciation) and meaning.
2. These sixteen petals also represent the following; five prāṇa-s (prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna samāna); five jñānendriya-s (organs of perception – ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose); five karmendriya-s (organs of action – mouth, feet, hands, organ of procreation and organ of excretion); and mind, thus making 16 petals of this enclosure.
3. It is also said that these sixteen śakti-s represent sixteen tithi-s (one tithi is equivalent to one lunar day). Totally there are sixteen tithinityā devi-s and they are worshipped in the innermost triangle of Śri Cakra. Sixteen tithinityā devi-s include Mahānittyā, who is Lalitāmbikā and She is worshipped in the bindu, which is the central point of Śri Cakra. We will be worshipping tithinityā devi-s while worshipping eighth āvaraṇa. But, in navāvaraṇa pūjā, they are worshipped in the beginning itself.
4. These sixteen śakti-s also represent sixteen kalā-s of moon and these sixteen kalā-s are represented by sixteen tithinityā devi-s, as discussed above. Based on this, nityakalādevī is suffixed after their names (nitya also means daily). However, names of the sixteen kalā-s are different. These sixteen kalā-s of the moon are worshipped during viśeṣārghya pūjā.
5. In their individual capacities, these nityakalādevī-s represent the following sixteen attributes – desire, intellect, ego, sound, touch, form, taste, smell, thought processes, fortitude (mental courage), recollections (memory), names and forms, source, the self within (jīvātman), eternity and the gross body.
In the first āvaraṇa, we worshipped 28 śakti-s and in this āvaraṇa, we have worshipped 16 śakti-s. Thus, we have so far worshipped 44 śakti-s in Śri Cakra, who take care different aspects of sustenance of the universe.