Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

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INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA
Besides the yajña mentioned there are others.
Manu speaks of four kinds: deva, bhauta (where articles
and ingredients are employed, as in the case of homa,
daiva, bali), nṛ yajña, and pitṛ -yajña. Others are spoken
of, such as japa-yajña, dhyāna-yajña, etc. Yajñas are also
classified according to the dispositions and intentions of
the worshipper into sātvika, rājasika, and tāmasika yajña.
VRATA
Vrata is a part of Naimittika, or voluntary karma. 1
It is that which is the cause of virtue (puṇ ya), and is
done to achieve its fruit. Vratas are of various kinds.
Some of the chief are Janmāṣṭ amī on Kṛ ṣṇ a’s birthday;
Śivarātri in honour of Śiva; and the ṣatpañcami, Durvāṣṭ
ami, Tālanavami, and Anantacaturdaśī performed at
specified times in honour of Lakṣmi, Nārāyaṇ a, and
Ananta. Others may be performed at any time, such as
the Sāvitrī-vrata by women only, 2 and the Kārtikeyapūjā
by men only. 3 The great vrata is the celebrated
Durga-pūjā, mahā-vrata in honour of the Devī as Durga,
which will continue as long as the sun and moon endure,
and which, if once commenced, must always be continued.
There are numerous other vratas which have
developed to a great extent in Bengal, and for which
there is no Śāstric authority, such as Madhu-saṃkrāntivrata,
Jalasaṃkrāntivrata and others. While each vrata
has its peculiarities, certain features are common to
vratas of differing kinds. There is both in preparation
and performance saṃyama, such as sexual continence,
1 Vide ante.
2 To attain good wifehood, long life for the husband in this world and life
with him in the next.
3 To secure children.