Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

96
INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA
water) with mantra, cleanses his teeth, and takes his
early morning 1 bath to the accompaniment of mantra.
He then puts on his castemark (tilaka) and makes tarpaṇ
am, or oblation of water, to the Deva, Ṛ ṣi and Pitṛ .
The sa ṃdhya follows, which consists of ācamana (sipping
of water), mārjana-snānam (sprinkling of the whole
body with water taken with the hand or kuśa-grass),
prāṇ āyāma (regulation of prana through its manifestation
in breath), agha-marṣṇ a (expulsion of the person of
sin from the body), the prayer to the sun, and then (the
canon of the saṃdhya) the silent recitation (japa) of the
Gāyatrī-mantra, which consists of invocation (āvāhana)
of the Gāyatrī-Devī; ṛ ṣi-nyāsa and ṣadāṇganyāsa (vide
post), meditation on the Devī-Gāyatrī in the morning as
Brahmanī; at midday as Vaiṣṇ avī; and in the evening as
Rudrāṇ ī; japa of the Gāyatrī a specitied number of
times; dismissal (visarjana) of the Devi, followed by
other mantras. 2
Besides the Brahminical Vaidiki-saṃdhyā from
which the Śūdras are debarred, there is the Tāntrikisaṃdhyā,
which may be performed by all. The general
outline is similar; the rite is simpler; the mantras vary;
and the Tāntrika-bījas or “seed” mantras are employed.
1 The householder is required to bathe twice, the ascetic at each of the
three saṃ
dhyas.
2 The above is a general outline of the Sāma Veda saṃ
dhyā, though as
each Hindu is of a particular sect and Veda, the saṃ
dhyā differs in detail.
See Kriyākāndavāridhi and the Purohita-darpaṇa, and Śrīśa Chandra-Vasu,
“Daily Practice of the Hindus.” The positions and mudrā are illustrated in
Mrs. S. C. Belnos’ “Saṃ
dhyā or Daily Prayer of the Brahmin” (1831).