Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

WORSHIP 121
only be accomplished with sviyāśakti, or the worshipper’s
own wife, and that union with a woman who is not
married to the sādhaka in either Brāhma or Śaiva forms
is forbidden. In the case of other śakti (parakīyā and
sādhāraṇ i) it prescribes,
1
in lieu of maithuna,
meditation by the worshipper upon the lotus feet of the
Devī, together with japa of his iṣṭ a-mantra. This rule,
however, the Commentator says, is not of universal
application. Śiva has, in this Tantra, prohibited sādhana
with the last tattva, with parakīyā, and sādhāraṇ i
śakti 2 in the case of men of ordinary weak intellect ruled
by lust; but for those who have by sādhana conquered
their passions and attained the state of a true vīra, or
siddha, there is no prohibition as to the mode of latāsadhana.
3 This Tantra appears to be, 4 in fact, a protest
against the misuse of the tattva, which had followed
upon a relaxation of the original rules and conditions
governing them. Without the pañcatattva in one form
or another, the śaktipūjā cannot be performed. The
Mother of the Universe must be worshipped with these
elements. By their use the universe (jagatbrahmāṇ ḍ a)
itself is used as the article of worship. Wine signifies
the power (śakti) which produces all fiery elements; meat
and fish all terrestrial and aquatic animals; mudrā all
vegetable life; and maithuna the will (icchā), action
(kriyā) and knowledge (jñāna) Sakti of the Supreme
1 Chapter VIII, verse 174.
2 See Uttara, Guptasādhana, Nigamakalpadruma, and other Tantras and
Tantrasāra (p. 698 et. seq.).
3 See Mahānirvāṇa-Tantra, Bhakta edition, p. 315.
4 For I have not yet had the opportunity of comparing the current Bengali
with the Nepalese text.