Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

WORSHIP 117
that the householder should worship in company with
his wife. 1 Brahmācārya, or continency, is not as is
sometimes supposed, a requisite of the student āśama
only, but is a rule which governs the married
householder (gṛ hastha) also. According to Vaidika
injunctions, union of man and wife must take place once
a month on the fifth day after the cessation of the
menses, and then only. Hence it is that the Nityā
Tantra when giving the characteristic of a paśu, says
that he is one who avoids sexual union except on the
fifth day (ṛ tukālaṃvinā devī ramaṇ aṃ parivrajayet). In
other words, the paśu is he who in this case, as in other
matters, follows for all purposes, ritual or otherwise, the
Vaidik injunctions which govern the ordinary life of all.
The above-mentioned rules govern the life of all
men. The only exception which the Tantra makes is for
purpose of sādhana in the case of those who are competent
(adhikāri) for vīrācāra. It is held, indeed, that
the exception is not strictly an exception to Vaidik
teaching at all and that it is an error to suppose that the
Tāntrika-rahasyapūjā is opposed to the Vedas. Thus,
whilst the Vaidik rule prohibits the use of wine in
ordinary life and for purposes of mere sensual
gratification it prescribes the religious yajña with wine.
This ritual use the Tantra also allows, provided that the
sādhaka is competent for the sādhana, in which its
consumption is part of its ritual and method.
The Tantra enforces the Vaidik rule in the cases,
ritual or otherwise, for those who are governed by the
vaidikācāra. The Nityā-Tantra says: “They (paśu) should
never worship the Devi during the latter part of the day,
1 Śastriko dharmamācaret (see also chap, xxxi of the Matsya-Śūkta-Tantra)