Shri Tara
Devi
In the
centre [of the island of gems] is the wish fulfilling tree. Under this, a
sadhaka should meditate on himself as being one with Tarini, as bright as the
rising sun, the utmost sphere of light, in a place surrounded by beautiful
maidens with fans and bells, wafted by a gentle breeze bearing the odour of
scent and incense - Todala Tantra, IV
Tara is quite well known to the
West through Her Tibetan manifestations, but some are unaware of the important
position She occupies in the Hindu tantrik pantheon. She is the second of the
ten Mahavidyas.
The major sources used on this
page are an important Kaula tantra called Brihad Nila Tantra (see below)
and the Tararahasya (Secrets of Tara) of Brahmananda Giri. The first
deals with the exposition of Nila Sarasvati -- the Sapphire Blue Sarasvati.
Sarasvati is the Brahma-Shakti, or spouse of the Supreme Deity in his Creative
aspect. The other aspects are Vishnu and Mahesh -- all three symbolised in the
three heads of
Lord Dattatreya,
patron guru of the Natha tradition.
Some have attempted to separate
the Hindu Tara from the Tibetan Tara, but there is little doubt that She is the
same Devi. This is shown in a reference to Tara in the Hindu Tantrarajatantra,
where Her mantra is given as Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha -- identical to
the Tibetan version. Here Tara takes her form as Kurukulla.
The various other forms are
given in Brihad Nila Tantra and
Devirahasya,
under the names Nilasarasvati, Aniruddha Sarasvati, Ugra Tara, Tarini.
Nilasarasvati gives as the fruit of worshipping Her poesy and eloquence. This,
aside from clearly relating Nilasarasvati to White Sarasvati, also points to
this Goddess being the Shakti of the Letters of the Alphabet, the
Matrika Shakti.
She has an important role in
Tantrik cosmology because mantra, words, music are considered to be the very
source of the cosmos. As Matrika Shakti She deludes the entire human race with
Her Maya of letters, and words. This has been expressed in a Tantrik form, but,
practically speaking, it is sufficient to say that much hypnosis (Maya) comes
about via the medium of words. Millions of people have lost their lives through
this power.
Thus Her power and place in the
Tantrik pantheon is quite justified, and Her mantra is described as a
Siddha-Vidya, the cause of Maya and Englamouring. The background GIF here is the
bija mantra of Sarasvati, Aim.
Abstract of Brihad Nila Tantra
Chapter One
The tantra
opens with a request from Devi to
Mahakala Bhairava
to reveal the Nila Tantra. Bhairava states that this tantra is the secret
of all secrets and revealing it will cause lack of sccess. Having it in one's
home is like having Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It protects against all
misfortunes and its specific virtue is that through it a person can become a
miracle worker. It is the king of all tantras and is the core of the
quintessence. Bhairava summarises its contents, which include daily worship
(puja), the king of mantras, the rules of puja and preparation of its mantra,
optional and occasional rites, the secrets of magical restraint, the rules of
Kumari puja, hymns, meditations, how to become eloquent, rites of sacrifice (homa),
the attainment of poesy, the secret sadhana, the secret mantra, alchemy,
preparation of miraculous ashes (bhasma) and everything related to the six
magical acts (satkarma).
Firstly, Bhairava deals with the
Devi Tarini, which he says is a siddha vidya, causing Maya and englamouring. Her
mantra is Om Hrim Strim Hum Phat. This vidya is said to be the heart of Nila
Sarasvati. Its appliction is the attainment of poesy. It is to be pronounced
facing north and meditated on as being like a lotus fibre extending from the
base of the spine to the 1,000 petal lotus, like ten million fires, suns and
moons.
Next the rules of bathing in the
morning are described. Again, a sadhaka should face north, visualising the guru
in the 1,000 petal lotus. Offering must be given to the rising sun. Then the
gayatri or
twilight mantra of Tarini should be pronounced, which is given as Tarayai
vidmahe mahograyai dhimahi tanno devi prachodayat.
Chapter Two
This covers the daily puja of
Nila Sarasvati, in the usual way. It should be done in isolated places including
cremation grounds, hills and forests. This puja also appears in the Todala
Tantra, translated as part of the
Magic of Kali.
Chapter Three
Describes initiation and the
characteristics of guru and disciple, as well as the right times for performing
diksha (initiation).
Chapter Four
Contains a description of
purashcharana, the method of preparing a mantra so that it becomes successful.
Tara's rosary is made of human bone and must be purified and made carefully.
Chapter Five
Optional rites are the topic of
this chapter, as well as the pithas or sacred spots. Kamarupa, where the yoni of
the goddess fell after being sliced into fifty parts, is the most important.
Chapter Six
Covers Kumari Puja, the worship
of a maiden. This is preceded by an offering to jackals, implying that the rite
takes place in the cremation ground (shmashana). As in the
Kulachadamani Tantra,
there is reference to the eight Kula trees, which must also receive their share
of worship. A day is the same as a year. Wine must be used when worshipping
Kalika but has to be purified first, because Shukra placed it under a curse.
Chapter Seven
Covers the satkarma, or six
magical acts, as well as worship of the kumaris. A most interesting section
deals with Maha China Krama, which is, essentially left hand tantra (vamachara).
The rule here is that of Svecchachara, the path of acting according to one's own
will. In this, there is no need for external worship. All can be performed
mentally. There are no rules as to the time the puja should be performed, no
rules about the place, no need for preparation. The conjunction of yoni and
lingam is the essence of the rite. During intercourse, the partners should
mentally recite the Tara mantra. It should be performed in the cremation ground.
Chapter Eight
Describes the yantra of Tara
(see above). In the centre she and Mahakala are in sexual union. The yantra
should be engraved on copper, smeared with kundagola and svayambhu flowers
(menstrual blood) and scents including camphor. The practitioner meditates in
the heart on Tarini and then draws her, by vital breath, using a flower, into
the centre of the yantra.
She is then considered to be
present in the yantra and various offerings (upacharas) are dedicated to her and
to her attendants in the different parts.
Chapter Nine
Heroic worship is the subject of
this chapter, which I have translated on the site.
Vira Sadhana.
Chapter Ten
Continues the subject of the
previous chapter and expands on Lata Sadhana (creeper sadhana), a synonym for
sexual worship.
Chapter Eleven
Gives the Tara mantras, the
foremost of which is Om Hrim Strim Hum Phat. Ugra Tara's seventeeen letter
mantra is Om padme mahapadme padmavati maye svaha. Nila Sarasvati mantra is Aim
Hrim Shrim Hsaum Shauh vada vada vagvadini Klim Klim Klim Nilasarasvati Aim Aim
Aim kahi kahi kararim Svaha.
Chapter Twelve
The origin of Tarini is the
subject of the chapter. She was created by Mahakali to destroy the demons and
bring the gods back to their former position.
Chapter Thirteen
This chapter covers the worship
of Mahakali and has been translated in full in the
Magic of Kali.
Chapter Fourteen
Kamakhya and
Tripura worship.
The devi Kamakhya dwells at Kamarupa and has a yantra wherein the
64 yoginis
receive honour. Tripura's mantra is Aim Klim Sauh, and the tantra says that she
represents the triple Kundalini, her puja being triple in every way.
Chapter Fifteen
A geographical chapter
describing mountains, streams and springs sacred to the worship of various devis
and devas.
Chapter Sixteen
This chapter outlines the
specific festivals of Tara and the things to be done during the twelve solar months, as
well as the kinds of offerings which please the goddess.
Chapter Seventeen
Outlines and continues details
about worshipping
Kali. Her
favourite time is on the fourteenth day of the dark moon in the month of Kartik,
when she should be worshipped at night. The dhyana (meditation image) of Kali is
described with details of the types of pits in which to do homa. This chapter
also gives puja details of Sandhya (Twilight) Devi.
Chapter Eighteen
The thousand names of Tara.
Chapter Nineteen
The armour and the secret mantra
of Tara are described.
Chapter Twenty
The hundred names of Tara.
Chapter Twenty-One
A most interesting chapter which
deals with alchemy. Copper and lead can be turned into gold. Adepts can create a
powerful, magical ash which creates miracles. The chapter also describes the
divya (celestial), vira (heroic) and pashu (beast-like) characteristics of
tantrik practitioners.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The 1,000 names of Kali.
The hundred names of Kali.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Describes the worship of Devi
Annapurna (Full of Food) and gives her mantra and the hundred names.
|
