In Hinduism, Angadevata are the deities abiding in the body of the principal deity. The number of such deities is six. The mantra of the principal deity is associated with long vowels like a, I, u, aim, aum and ah by means of nyasa (placement) of the fingers on the heart, on the head, the sacred tuft of shikha (hair), kavaca (armor), on the join of the eyebrows, and snapping the left palm of the hand with two figners of the right hand. The anga mantra begins with ‘om’ and is followed by the seed syllable associated with the specific long vowel and ends in namah, svaha, vasat, vaushat, vausat, hum and phat. When the process continues the performer of the ritual touches the heart, the head, the location of the Shikha, the middle of the eyebrows, touching two ends of the elbows with the fingers of opposite hands.
On the sacred diagram, the deities of the limbs should be worshipped
in the center of the sacred diagram of the lotus. It should proceed from the
south-east direction and end in the north-east. The sacred syllable associated
with the eye should be worshiped in front of the main deity, and should be paid
obeisance to at the center of the lotus.
These deities are envisaged as female in form, bearing the
posture of granting boons with one hand and bestowing assurance with the other.