In the Shaivism and Shaktism tradition of Hinduism, the goddess Tara (, , ) is the second of the ten Mahavidyas. She is considered a form of Adishakti, the tantric manifestation of Parvati. Her three most famous forms are Ekajaṭā, Ugratara, and Nīlasarasvatī (also spelled Neelasaraswati, Neela Saraswati, or Neelsaraswati). Her most famous centre of worship is the temple and the cremation ground of Tarapith in West Bengal, India.

Legends

The commonly known origin of Tara is from the 17th chapter of the Rudrayāmala which describes the initial unsuccessful attempts of the sage Vasiṣṭha in worshipping Tara, and the subsequent meeting with the god Vishnu in the form of Buddha in the region called Mahācīna (Tibet) and his eventual success by the means of kaula rites. She is also described as the form of the Atharvaveda. Her Bhairava is named Akṣobhya. According to the Svatantratantra, Tara protects her devotees from difficult (ugra) dangers and so she is also known as Ugratārā. The goddess is all-pervading and also manifests on Earth. or alternatively located somewhere in Central Asia. Some of the forms of the deity like Mahācīnakrama Tara, also known as Ugra-Tara, are worshipped in both Hindu and Buddhist systems. Her sādhanā described by Śāśvatavajra, which was included in the Buddhist collection of sadhanas called the Sādhanāśatapañcāśikā, which was incorporated in the Phetkarīyatantra and was quoted in tantric manuals like the Bṛhat-tantrasāra by Kṛṣṇānanda Agamavāgīśa with some aspects of the iconography and the subsequent interpretations differing between the Hindu and Buddhist systems.

Iconography

thumb|300x300px|Kali (left) and Tara (right) have similar iconography

thumb|Tara in a form of Ugra-Tara (Violent Tara) in Newari style.

Tara is often described in these chapters as a fierce deity, holding kartrī (knife), khaḍga (sword), chamara (Fly-whisk) or indivara (lotus) and a single matted braid over her head. She is dark in complexion, tall, with a bulging belly, wears tiger pelts, with her left foot on the chest of a corpse and her right foot placed on a lion or between the thighs of the corpse. She has a terrifying laugh and is fearsome. The goddess Tīkṣṇakāntā, who is also considered a form of Tara in the Kalika Purana, has similar iconography with dark-complexion and a single braid (ekajaṭā), and is also pot-bellied.

Scriptures

Tantric scriptures that describe the worship of Tara include Tārātantra, Brahmayāmala, Rudrayāmala, Nīlatantra/Bṛhannīlatantra, Tārātantra, Nīlasarasvatītantra as well as various tantric compendia like Tantrasara by Agamavagisha, Prāṇatoṣiṇī, Tārābhaktisudhārṇava by Narasiṃha Thakkura, or Tārārahasya by Brahmānanda Giri.

Tara is mentioned in the Devi Bhagavata Purana, which states that Nīla Sarasvatī is widely known in Cīna — a term that, in many contexts, refers to regions north or northeast of the Himalayas, including Tibet, Xinjiang, or Central Asia. In certain Tantric traditions, Tara is identified with Nīla Sarasvatī, a fierce blue form of Sarasvatī associated with protection and esoteric knowledge. and also that Svarocisha Manu worshipped the deity on the banks of the Kalindi (Yamuna). She is also attested in the Kalika Puranas 61st, 79th and 80th chapter.

Modern traditions

In Bengal, the literary works of Ramprasad Sen gave a new phase to the classical secretive worship of Tara, and his devotionalism influenced the image of the deity. He addresses Tara as a daughter in his songs. Sadhak Bamakhepa also was a famous siddha of Tara in the modern era. These devotees introduced a public devotional dimension to the secretive tantric worship of this deity and emphasised her motherliness.

References

Further reading

  • Official Tarapith Website