Tara

Tara, meaning 'she who saves,' is a goddess of compassion and protection, revered as one of the ten Mahavidyas in the Shakta tradition. Her earliest roots are traced to the Vedic goddess of speech and knowledge, Sarasvati, but her distinct form emerges in the Puranic and Tantric texts. The Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa (7.30) describes her as the savior who ferries devotees across the ocean of worldly existence. In the Tārā Tantra, she is praised as the embodiment of the syllable 'Tum,' representing the ultimate reality.

Iconographically, Tara is depicted with a blue or green complexion, symbolizing the infinite sky and compassion. She has four arms: holding a sword to cut ignorance, scissors to sever attachments, a lotus representing purity, and a skull bowl filled with blood, signifying the destruction of ego. Her hair is often disheveled, and she wears a garland of severed heads, indicating her transcendence over death. A principal myth from the Tārā Upanishad recounts how Tara emerged from the third eye of Shiva to pacify the demon Tripurasura, drinking his poison and saving the world.

In another episode from the Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa (9.1), she appears as Ekajaṭā, the one with a single braid, to protect the gods from the demon Durgama. Regional worship is prominent in West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar, where she is venerated as Ugra Tara, a fierce but compassionate form. In Nepal and Tibet, she is syncretized with the Buddhist Tara, though Hindu traditions emphasize her role as a Mahavidya and consort of Shiva. Her festivals, such as Tara Puja, are observed during the month of Ashwin, with rituals involving red flowers and offerings of wine.

In Hindu cosmology, Tara represents the guiding light of wisdom that leads souls from darkness to liberation, embodying the sound of AUM as the primordial vibration.

The name Tārā (Sanskrit: तारा) derives from the Sanskrit root √tṝ, meaning 'to cross over' or 'to save,' thus signifying 'she who ferries devotees across the ocean of worldly existence.' This etymology is explicitly stated in the Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa (7.30), where she is praised as the savior who leads souls to liberation. Alternate readings include 'star' (from tārā as feminine of tāra), linking her to celestial guidance.

Regional variants include Ugratārā (fierce Tara) and Nīlasarasvatī (Blue Saraswati) in Bengal and Assam. In the Tārā Tantra, she is associated with the seed syllable 'Tum,' representing ultimate reality.

The name also appears in Buddhist contexts, where she is revered as a bodhisattva of compassion, but in Hindu Shakta tradition, she is a Mahavidya and a form of Adishakti.

Tara's earliest roots may be traced to the Vedic goddess Sarasvati, but her distinct form emerges in Tantric and Puranic literature. The Rudrayāmala (17th chapter) narrates the origin of her worship through the sage Vasiṣṭha, who learned kaula rites from Vishnu as Buddha in Mahācīna (Tibet).

The Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa (9.1) describes her as Ekajaṭā, protecting gods from the demon Durgama. The Kālīka Purāṇa mentions her form Tīkṣṇakāntā with similar iconography.

She is also described as the embodiment of the Atharvaveda. Her prominence rises in medieval Shakta Tantra, where she is the second Mahavidya.

The syncretism between Shaiva and Buddhist cults in Oḍḍiyāna (Swat Valley) contributed to her development, with forms like Mahācīnakrama Tara (Ugra-Tara) shared across traditions. Tantric texts such as the Tārātantra, Brahmayāmala, and Nīlatantra codify her worship.

Tara is typically depicted with a blue or green complexion, symbolizing the infinite sky and compassion. She stands in the pratyalidha stance (left foot forward) on a supine corpse, often identified as Shiva. She has four arms: holding a sword (khaḍga) to cut ignorance, scissors (kartrī) to sever attachments, a lotus (indivara) representing purity, and a skull bowl (kapāla) filled with blood, signifying the destruction of ego.

Her hair is disheveled, and she wears a garland of severed heads, indicating transcendence over death. A single matted braid (ekajaṭā) is a distinctive feature. She wears a tiger-skin skirt and a crown of five skulls.

Her Bhairava (consort) is Akṣobhya, a form of Shiva as a serpent coiled around her matted hair. Regional variations: South Indian bronzes emphasize her fierce aspect, while North Indian miniatures may show her with a more compassionate expression. The Māyātantra, quoted in Tantrasāra, lists eight forms: Ekajaṭā, Ugra-Tārā, Mahogrā, Kāmeśvarī-Tārā, Cāmuṇḍā, Nīla-Sarasvatī, Vajra-Tārā, and Bhadrakālī.

In Advaita Vedanta, Tara is seen as a manifestation of Brahman, the ultimate reality, guiding devotees from ignorance to knowledge. In Vishishtadvaita, she is a form of the divine mother, Lakshmi or Parvati, who mediates grace.

In Dvaita, she is a distinct deity subordinate to Vishnu, aiding in liberation. In Shakta theology, Tara is the second Mahavidya, representing the fierce aspect of Adishakti.

She embodies the sound 'Tum,' the primordial vibration, and is associated with the cremation ground, symbolizing the transcendence of death. In Tantric traditions, she is the goddess of wisdom and compassion, often paired with Akṣobhya.

The Tārā Tantra describes her as the ultimate reality, while the Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa emphasizes her role as savior. In Buddhist-influenced contexts, she is a bodhisattva, but Hindu texts like the Rudrayāmala integrate her into Shaiva-Shakta frameworks.

Tara is widely worshipped in West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar, with the Tarapith temple in West Bengal being a major center. Her festivals, such as Tara Puja, occur in the month of Ashwin with offerings of red flowers and wine.

In Nepal and Tibet, she is syncretized with Buddhist Tara, though Hindu traditions emphasize her Mahavidya aspect. In classical dance, Tara appears in Odissi and Bharatanatyam performances depicting the Mahavidyas.

Carnatic and Hindustani compositions, such as those by Muthuswami Dikshitar, praise her as Nīlasarasvatī. In painting, she is depicted in Tantric art and Pahari miniatures.

Folk forms include the Bengali jatra performances. Her influence extends to Southeast Asia, where she appears in Balinese Hinduism as a form of Durga, and in Cambodia and Thailand, where she is associated with Buddhist Tara.