Tara (Tārā) — the Star, the Power of Hunger.

Tara (Tārā) — the Star, the Power of Hunger 

“I meditate upon the Divine Mother of the three worlds, who is sitting on a white lotus situated in the centre of the waters enveloping the universe.

In her left hands she holds a knife and a skull and, in her right hands, a sword and a blue lotus. Her complexion is blue, and she is decked with ornaments....

She is decorated with three beautiful serpents and has three red eyes. Her hair is bunched into a single plait of tawny colour. Her tongue is always moving, and her teeth and mouth appear terrible. She is wearing a tiger skin around her waist, and her forehead is decorated with ornaments of white bone.

Sage Akṣobhya, in the form of a serpent, is situated on her head. She is seated on the heart of a corpse and her breasts are hard.

Thus should one meditate on Bhagavatī Tārā who is the mistress of all three worlds.”

(Mantra Mahodadhi)

The Star (Tārā) is the first force that arises in the Bindu [Golden-Embryo — Hiraṇya-garbha], the cosmic location from which the universe evolves.

As soon as the germ of life is planted, hunger arises — the embryo wants food. Only through the process of combustion of some fuel, some nutrients, can the universe survive and develop.

This perpetual cosmic need to consume is the basis of the cosmic sacrifice, as well as of all the forms of existence and life.

The nature of the Golden Embryo can well be said to be hunger and its power lies in the ability to devour. The name given to this pure and absolute, hunger is — “the Star” (Tārā).

“In the night of time, which is the state of universal dissolution, light [the first combustion, the first satisfied hunger] appears as a star.

This light is the nature, the source, of all thought [for thought is also energy, combustion] and is the instrument of knowledge illuminating its object.”

(Karapatri, Bhagavatī tattva.”)

Although the word Tārā means a star, the Tantras take its etymology to mean “that which leads to the other shore.” “She who brings us to the other shore (Tārāti) is Tārā.”

Just as the nature of hunger is twofold - ravenous, all-consuming, driving, forcing before consumption, and the other pacified, peaceful and contented after consumption —

Tārā also is depicted in a dual aspect, the one fierce, fearful, all-devouring, the other pacified and luminous. This is duality is also the nature of the sun and of all beings.

“Hunger” [Kṣudhā] is defined as a desire to consume —food as well as knowledge, power, resources etc. Hunger [Tārā] and Time [Kālī] are inseparable since consumption is regulated by Time and Time consumes all things.

“In the Great Void, the sphere of the Egg-of-Immensity that is the universe (Brahmāṇḍa), there exist fifty forms of void. Five of these are the kingdom of the power-of-hunger (Tārā); the rest belong to the power- of-time (Mahā-Kālī).”

(Quoted in Karapatri, Bhagavatī tattva “)

In the cycle of day and night, Tārā represents early dawn, the hunger, the desire that first appears after the calm of sleep, after the rule of Kālī.

Hence Tārā rules from midnight to dawn. This is the Night-of-Anger (Krodha-rātri) when every living thing prepares to destroy and devour other lives, other beings.

Tārā as the Void

In its peaceful aspect, the power of hunger is merely spoken of as a void.

“She is the transcendent form of the Void, the divider (kalā), the Supreme Beauty (Mahā-Sundarī). Beautiful, she commands the king of kings. Boundless, she is the ruler of the vast universe.

“She is the Great Void, the Star from which all was gradually evolved and which leads all toward liberation from the endless [cycle of life].” (Mahā Sundarī Tantra. [5021)

“All deities are aspects of the Void. The universe arose from the Void and dissolves into the Void. Seeing the Void as the goal of the universe, the sages, leaving a world of delusion (moha), dissolve into the Void, into the changeless shape of the Immensity.” (Hirananda Sastri Gaud, “Tārā-rahasya,” P. 225.)

So long as food is provided, so long as offerings are poured into the fearful solar fire, the cosmic sun is at peace, but if food is lacking the sun becomes the Fearful-Star (Ugra-Tārā) and devours the worlds.

Buddhist Tārā

Jains and Buddhists also worship the goddess Tārā. For the Buddhists as for the Hindus hunger is eternal. In the Buddhist Scripture Tārā is represented as the power of Avalokiteśvara. In the Tantras she is the consort of the Never-decaying (Akṣobhya) which is an aspect of Śiva.

“O great goddess, without decaying, Śiva the lord of sleep, drank the halāhala poison, hence he is known as the Never- decaying (Akṣobhya). The transcendent power of illusion, ever in lustful dalliance with him, is the Star, Tārā.” (Tārā Tantra.1 )

Iconography of Tārā

The Hindu Tārā is always depicted in her fearful form with four arms entwined with poisonous snakes and serpents in her matted hair. She holds a head and a chalice, for in her fearsome mood she drinks blood, the sap of the world.

“Standing firmly with her left foot forward resting on a corpse, she laughs loudly -transcendent. Her hands hold a sword, a blue lotus, a dagger, and a begging bowl. She raises her war cry, hum! Her matted tawny hair is bound with poisonous blue snakes. Thus the terrifying Tārā destroys the unconsciousness of the three worlds and carries them on her head [to the other shore].”

“She shines upon a white lotus arisen from the water, pervading the world. She holds in her hands scissors, a sword, a skull, and a blue lotus. Her ornaments are snakes, which form a girdle, earrings, a garland, armlets, bracelets, anklets.

She has three red eyes, fearful tawny tresses, a wagging tongue, fearful teeth. Round the hips she wears the skin of a panther. She wears a diadem made of bleached bones.

One should meditate on Tārā, the mother of the three worlds, who is seated on the heart of a corpse, her face resplendent with the power of the Never-decaying (Akshobhya).”

(Tārā Tantra)

The Worship of Tārā

The Hindu Tantras specify that the goddess is to be worshiped according to the Buddhist ritual. Otherwise her worship remains fruitless.

“The proper way to worship me is the Buddhist way. O Tormentor of Men! That way one people alone know; none other knows its inner significance.” (Lalitā-upakhyana.)

Tara Sadhana -

Devi Tara Sadhana is done to achieve sudden gain of wealth and prosperity. Tara Sadhana sprouts seed of wisdom and knowledge in the heart of the worshipper.

Tara Moola Mantra -

ॐ ह्रीं स्त्रीं हुं फट्॥

Oṁ Hrīṁ Strīṁ Huṁ Phaṭ॥