There are seven āvaraṇas(surrounding ‘layers’ of deities) around the main Jagannātha deity in the Puri temple. They are:
- The four playmates of Kṛṣṇa
- Aṅgas of mantra
- Eight wives of Kṛṣṇa
- Parents,brother,sister of Kṛṣṇa,gopas and gopīs
- Five Kalpavṛkṣas
- Certain bhaktas of Kṛṣṇa
- 10 dikpālas
First āvaraṇa:Contains Dāmā,Sudāmā,Vasudāmā and Kiṅkiṇi(similar to Kṛṣna,adolescent,carrying flute and ball)
Second āvaraṇa:Contains the āṇgas conjoined with the corresponding parts of the main mantra(arcakāya svāhā, kṛṣṇāya hṛdayāya namaḥ, govindāya śirase svāhā…ultimately 9 members in this circle. The dhyānas of the pallavas are given in the Nīlādrīmahodaya(eg:svāhā is red-complexion,dressed in red and having a crown on head and two lotuses in hands,namaḥ being white complexioned,three eyed and basically like the common form of Bhuvaneśvarī in appearance otherwise)
Third āvaraṇa:Rukmiṇī,Satyabhāmā,Naganjitā,Sunandā,Mitravindā,Sulakṣaṇā,Jāmbavatī,Suśīlā(lotus and chowrie in their hands)
Fourth āvaraṇa:Vāsudeva,Devakī,Nanda,Yaśodā(the fathers with jñānamudrā and abhayamudrā,the mothers having a varadamudrā and a pot full of pāyasa),Balabhadra(halamusaladhārin,with quivering eyes under the effect of alcohol),Subhadrā(varābhaya,like hot gold or dark green),gopas and gopīs with flutes,cane sticks,horns,etc
Fifth āvaraṇa:The kalpavṛkṣas Mandāra,Santāna,Pārijāta,Kalpadruma,Haricandana(the last one is placed in the centre under which Kṛṣna is)
Sixth āvaraṇa:nityabhaktas:Nārada,Parvata,Uddhava,Akrūra,Niṣaṭha,Dāruka,Viṣvaksena,Vainateya(Garuḍa)
Seventh āvaraṇa:Indra,agni,Yama,Nairṛta,Varuṇa,Vāyu,Kubera,Īśāna,Ananta,Brahman
padmavajra 