Tara (Mahavidya)

This article is about the Hindu goddess. For the Buddhist bodhisattva, see Tara (Buddhism).

Tara
Devanagari	तारा

In Hinduism, the goddess Tara (Sanskrit: Tārā, Devanagari: तारा) meaning "star" is the second of the Dasa (ten) Mahavidyas or "Great Wisdom [goddesses]", Tantric manifestations of Mahadevi, Kali, or Parvati. As the star is seen as a beautiful but perpetually self-combusting thing, so Tara is perceived at core as the absolute, unquenchable hunger that propels all life. NOTE: (The oldest Tara pith is known as ‘Tara Tarini’, situated on the holy Taratirini hill (Purnagiri) at a distance of 30 km from Berhampur in the state of Orissa, India. It is believed to be the Breast Shrine (Sthana Pith) of Adi Shakti and originated from the limbs of the Corpse of Mata Sati. Explaining the importance of this Pith ‘Brihat Samhita’ also gives the geographical location. IN SANSKRIT
"Rushikulya** Tatae Devi,
Tarakashya Mahagiri,
Tashya Srunga Stitha Tara,
Vasishta
rajitapara." (**Rushikulya: A famous River flowing on the foot hill of the Tara Tarini Hill Shrine))

Iconography

Tara is said to be more approachable to the devotee (Bhakta) or Tantrika because of her maternal instincts; however a large population of Bengali Hindus approach Kali herself as "Ma" or "mother". In Tantras, Lord Shiva forbids every Sadhaka to see any difference in Kali and Tara , and warns that those who think them separate shall go to hell as punishment.

Tara

Tara can be distinguished visually from Kali primarily via her implements. Four armed, she carries a sacrificial sword, a severed head or skull cup, a lotus and scissors. Kali never holds a lotus or a pair of scissors.

The murti at the Tara Ma mandir in the village of Tarapith, a highly important Tantric site for Bengali Shaktas (and highly contested as to whether or not it is truly a Shakti Pitha; scholarly evidence points towards no), is mostly covered by Garlands of flowers. This image has several unusual features. It is made of a silver metal, depicts Tara with the lower half of her face covered in blood, and Her feet are in front of Her image in a severed fashion as if they had been cut off; there is a red circle with a white one in the middle of it suggesting a leg bone.

This is less mysterious when the truth of the matter is revealed; the murti is in fact a composite one which covers the actual Deity: a stone said to be worshipped for 5,000 years by the Pujaris at the temple. This is an example of a "self formed" Deity in that it was discovered and worshipped as a protector of the village, which was in former times known as Chandipur. The stone is vaguely in the shape of a mother suckling a child—this is said to be the infant Shiva at the breast of Tara. Most devotees will not have a chance to see the actual deity, as there are only 15 or so minutes of Darshan or viewing of the stone at 4:30AM when the temple opens and only the first lucky few will be admitted into the sanctum sanctorum to see the stone.

Unlike most Indian villages and towns, the smashan or cremation ground is not situated on the periphery of the village. As cremation grounds are seen to be polluting, most Indian smashans are located far from the center of town. Both the Tarapith mandir and smashan are very close (within 100 yards or so) to the center of the town. It is said that Tara Ma's footprints are preserved in the smashan; this is a common theme in Hinduism, where deities or their especially holy followers are said to leave their footprints in rocks. Such is the case in various parts of India with Vishnu's Avataras and the Yogi/Guru/Deva Dattatreya at the banks of the Ganges river in Varanasi. Many Sadhus and Tantrikas live in the smashan, some with permanent huts as residences. The smashan is filled with dogs, traditionally polluting animals who were said to share food with the Vamamarga saint Bamakhepa, whose samādhi or tomb is located next door to the main Tarapith temple.

Mantra

oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā

oṁ hrīṁ strīṁ hūṁ phaṭ

See also

• Tarapith
• Shaktism
• Tara in Buddhism

References

• Banerjee, Sumanta (2002). Logic in a Popular Form: Essays on Popular Religion in Bengal. Seagull Books. ISBN 8170461626. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Kinsley, David R. (1988). Hindu Goddesses:Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Reigious Tradition. University of California Press. ISBN 0520063392. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Kinsley, David R. (1997). Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahāvidyās. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-0520204997.
• MacDaniel, June (2004). Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195167902. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• MacDaniel, June (1989). The Madness of the Saints: Ecstatic Religion in Bengal. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226557235. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Shankaranarayanan, Sri (1972). The Ten Great Cosmic Powers. Dipti Publications. ISBN 8185208387. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Svoboda, Robert E. Aghora: at the Left Hand of God. ISBN 0-914732-21-8. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Svoboda, Robert E. Aghora II: Kundalini. ISBN 0-914-73231-5. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Svoboda, Robert E. Aghora III: The Law of Karma. ISBN 0-914-73237-4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• A Short Biography of Vamaksepa

External links

• Tara in the Hindu tantric tradition
• Birbhum District India's official website for Tarapith