The 21 Praises to Tārā

(Tibetan phonetics and English)

Images from two traditions
Commentary

Edited by Hermes Brandt, April 2023

Free of copyright
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface – page 3

1. Text and images combined

1.a - The twenty-one praises to Tārā with images according to
the Sūryagupta tradition (Tibetan phonetics and English) – page 5

1.b - The twenty-one praises to Tārā with images according to

the Nāgārjuna-Atisha tradition (Tibetan phonetics and English) – page 30

2. Text with commentary

2.a - The twenty-one praises in Sanskrit (Romanized and
Devanagari) – page 54
2.b - The twenty-one praises to Tārā, a literal translation
from the Sanskrit – page 59
2.c - A critical edition of the Tibetan translation of the
twenty-one praises to Tārā – page 64

3. Comparing the images of two traditions

3.a – A global comparison of the images of the Twenty-One
Tārās of the Sūryagupta and the Nāgārjuna-Atisha traditions – page 95
3.b – The Sūryagupta images in detail – page 97
3.c – The Nāgārjuna-Atisha images in detail – page 122

Colophon – page 147

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Preface
This document has grown organically. After many years of reciting the praises,
often while looking at a particular image of the Twenty-One Tārās, I realized
that it represented the Twenty-One Tārās according to Lama Atisha’s tradition,
while the empowerments of the Twenty-One Tārās I had received came from
Sūryagupta’s tradition.

I received the empowerments twice from Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche (1946-
2023), on February 17 and 18, 1982 (Bodhgaya, India) and on May 28, 1987
(Kathmandu, Nepal). On both occasions, Rinpoche identified the lineage by
mentioning the Tibetan version of Sūryagupta’s name: “Nyima Bä” (nyi ma sbas
pa, ‘Hidden Sun’), according to the notes I took during the initiations and which
I only understood more than four decades later.
With data from the internet, I quickly created A brief commentary on the
images of the Twenty-One Tārās, with images of the Twenty-One Tārās
according to Sūryagupta’s tradition, now a part of chapter 3.b of this text.

Soon, the idea came to make a version better suited for daily use, with only the
painted images and the Praises: The Twenty-One Praises to Tārā (1.a). This part
is separately available in English, French and Tibetan editions.

While working so intensively on the text of these praises, I felt the need arise to
create another document, explaining the differences found in the various
editions of the Tibetan text: A critical edition of the Tibetan translation of the
Twenty-One Praises to Tārā, the editing of which took much time and energy. I
used research done in the early eighties by Martin Willson, as part of a
wonderful study about Tārā that has unfortunately been out of print for many
years now, In Praise of Tārā, Songs to the Saviouress, by Martin Willson
(Wisdom Publications, Somerville MA, USA, 1996). (2.c)

It seems that my work on these Praises created enough positive karma for me
to receive, at last, the initiation of the Twenty-One Tārās from the Nāgārjuna-
Atisha tradition. I received it from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on
December 31, 2022. Subsequently, I made a text combining the praises with
images according to that tradition. (1.b)

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -3-

Since the Tibetan translation was based on Sanskrit texts, I have added the
Sanskrit original version of the praises (2.a), as well as a literal English
translation from the Sanskrit by Martin Willson (2.b). This translation is
different from the one in chapters 1.a and 1.b, which was translated by Martin
Willson from the Tibetan, in metered verses, making it possible to recite them
in the same way as the Tibetans recite their version.

For a better understanding of the Praises, one would need to receive or read a
commentary. I recommend A Commentary on Praises to Tara by Khensur
Rinpoche Lama Lhundrub Rigsel (Amitabha Buddhist Center, Singapore, 2012),
available in PDF format. In the late seventies, this very kind lama taught me
how to recite the Praises in Tibetan.

As I am now combining the images of both traditions in a single document, I

thought it might be interesting to add a comparison of the ways the Twenty-
One Tārās are described in the two traditions. (3)

More information is available in the colophon.

Hermes Brandt, Vendôme, France, April 24, 2023.

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1.a The twenty-one praises to Tārā with images according to
the Sūryagupta tradition (Tibetan phonetics and English)

Invocation
PO TA LA YI NÄ CH’OG NÄ
From your sublime abode of the Potala,
TĀṂ YIG JANG GU LÄ Tr’UNG SHING
You who are born from the green syllable TĀṂ,
Ö PAG ME KYI U LA GYÄN
Your crown adorned with Amitābha,
D’Ü SUM SANG GYÄ Tr’IN LÄ MA
Action-mother of the buddhas of the three times,
DrÖL MA K’OR CHÄ SHEG SU SÖL
Tārā, together with your retinue, please come here.

Prostration
LHA DANG LHA MIN CHÖ PÄN GY’I
The gods and demigods bow
ZHAp KYI PÄ MO LA TÜ DE
Their crowns to your lotus feet.
P’ONG PA KÜN LÄ DrÖL DZÄ MA
Liberator of all who are destitute,
DrÖL MA YUM LA CH’Ak TS’ÄL LO
To you, Mother Tārā, I prostrate.

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 The Twenty-One Praises
OM! JE-TSÜN-MA P’AK-MA DrÖL-MA-LA CH’Ak TS’ÄL-LO //
OM I prostrate to the noble transcendent Liberator.

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 1. Tārā the heroine

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL DrÖL-MA NYUR-MA PA-MO

Homage! Tārā, swift, heroic!
CHÄN-NI KÄ-CHIk LOK-D’ANG DrA-MA
Eyes like lightning instantaneous!
JIk-TEN SUM-GÖN CH’U-KYE ZHÄL-GY’I
Sprung from op’ning stamens of the
G’E-SAR J’E-WA-LÄ-NI J’UNG-MA
Lord of three world’s tear-born lotus!

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 2. Tārā white as the autumn moon

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TÖN-KÄi DA-WA KÜN-TU

Homage! She whose face combines a
G’ANG-WA GYA-NI TSEk-PÄi ZHÄL-MA
Hundred autumn moons at fullest!
KAR-MA TONG-TrAK TS’Ok-PA-NAM-KYI
Blazing with light rays resplendent
RAp-TU CH’E-WÄi Ö RAB-BAR-MA
As a thousand star collection!

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 3. Golden-coloured Tārā

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL SER-NGO CH’U-NÄ KYE-KYI

Homage! Golden-blue one, lotus
PÄ-MÄ CH’Ak-NI NAM-PAR GYÄN-MA
Water born, in hand adorned!
JIN-PA TSÖN-DrÜ KA-T’UP ZHI-WA
Giving, effort, calm, austerities,
ZÖ-PA SAM-TÄN CHÖ-YÜL-NYI-MA
Patience, meditation her sphere!

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 4. Tārā with the victorious crown protuberance of the Tathagatas

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL D’E-ZHIN-SHEk-PÄi TSUK-TOR

Homage! Crown of tathagatas,
T’A-YÄ NAM-PAR GYÄL-WAR CHÖ-MA
Actions triumph without limit,
MA-LÜ P’A-RÖL-CH’IN-PA T’OP-PÄi
Relied on by conquerors’ children
GYÄL-WÄi SÄ-KYI SHIN-TU TEN-MA
Having reached ev’ry perfection!

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 5. Tārā proclaiming the sound of hūṃ

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TUTTĀRĀ HŪṂ YI-G’E

Homage! Filling with TUTTARE,
DÖ-D’ANG CH’Ok-D’ANG NAM-K’A G’ANG-MA
HUM, desire, direction, and space!
JIK-TEN DÜN-PO ZHAP-KYI NÄN-TE
Trampling with her feet the seven worlds,
LÜ-PA ME-PAR GUk-PAR NÜ-MA
Able to draw forth all beings!

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 6. Tārā victorious over the three worlds

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL GYA-J’IN ME-LHA TS’ANG-PA

Homage! Worshipped by the all-lords,
LUNG-LHA NA-TS’Ok WANG-CH’Uk CH’Ö-MA
Shakra, Agni, Brahma, Marut!
JUNG-PO RO-LANG Dr’I-ZA-NAM-D’ANG
Honored by the hosts of spirits,
NÖ-JIN TS’Ok-KYI DÜN-NÄ TÖ-MA
Corpse-raisers, gandharvas, yakshas!

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 7. Tārā who crushes all adversaries

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TrÄṬ-CHE-J’A-D’ANG PHÄṬ-KYI

Homage! With her TRAD and PHAT sounds
P’A-RÖL TrÜL-K’OR RAp-TU JOM-MA
Destroying foes’ magic diagrams!
YÄ-KUM YÖN-KYANG ZHAP-KYI NÄN-TE
Her feet pressing, left out, right in,
ME-BAR TrUK-PA SHIN-TU BAR-MA
Blazing in a raging fire-blaze!

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 8. Tārā who bestows supreme powers / Tārā who crushes all maras

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TURE JIk-PA CH’EN-MO

Homage! TURE, very dreadful!
DÜ-KYI PA-WO NAM-PAR JOM-MA
Destroyer of Mara’s champion(s)!
CH’U-KYE ZHÄL-NI Tr’O-NYER DÄN-DZÄ
She with frowning lotus visage,
DrA-WO T’AM-CHÄ MA-LÜ SÖ-MA
Who is slayer of all enemies!

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 9. Tārā who grants boons

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL KÖN-CH’OK SUM-TS’ÖN CHAk-GYÄi

Homage! At the heart her fingers,
SOR-MÖ T’Uk-KAR NAM-PAR GYÄN-MA
Adorn her with Three Jewel mudra!
MA-LÜ CH’Ok-KYI K’OR-LÖ GYÄN-PÄi
Light-ray masses all excited!
RANG-G’I Ö-KYI TS’Ok-NAM Tr’Uk-MA
All directions’ wheels adorn her!

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 10. Tārā who dispels all sorrows

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL RAp-TU GA-WA JI-PÄi

Homage! She so joyous, radiant,
U-GYÄN Ö-KYI Tr’ENG-WA PEL-MA
Crown emitting garlands of light!
ZHÄ-PA RAP-ZHÄ TUTTĀRĀ-YI
Mirthful, laughing with TUTTARE,
DÜ-D’ANG JIK-TEN WANG-D’U DZÄ-MA
Subjugating maras, devas!

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 11. Tārā who summons all beings / Dispeller of misfortune

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL SA-ZHI KYONG-WÄi TS’Ok-NAM

Homage! She able to summon
T’AM-CHÄ GUk-PAR NÜ-PA-NYI-MA
All earth-guardians’ assembly!
Tr’O-NYER YO-WÄi YI-G’E HŪṂ-G’I
Shaking, frowning, with her HUM sign
P’ONG-PA T’AM-CHÄ NAM-PAR DrÖL-MA
Saving from every misfortune!

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 12. Tārā of auspicious light

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL DA-WÄi D’UM-B’Ü U-GYÄN

Homage! Crown adorned with crescent
GYÄN-PA T’AM-CHÄ SHIN-TU BAR-MA
Moon, all ornaments most shining!
RÄL-PÄi TrÖ-NA Ö-PAK-ME-LÄ
Amitabha in her hair-knot
TAK-PAR SHIN-TU WÖ-RAB DZÄ-MA
Sending out much light eternal!

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 13. Tārā the ripener

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL KÄL-PÄi T’A-MÄi ME-TAR

Homage! She ’mid wreath ablaze like
BAR-WÄi Tr’ENG-WÄi Ü-NA NÄ-MA
Eon-ending fire abiding!
YÄ-KYANG YÖN-KUM KUN-NÄ-KOR GA
Right stretched, left bent, joy surrounds you,
DrA-YI PUNG-NI NAM-PAR JOM-MA
Troops of enemies destroying!

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 14. Frowning Tārā

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL SA-ZHIi NGÖ-LA CH’Ak-G’I

Homage! She who strikes the ground with
T’IL-GY’I NÜN-CHING ZHAP-KYI DUNG-MA
Her palm, and with her foot beats it!
Tr’O-NYER CHÄN-DZÄ YI-G’E HŪṂ-G’I
Scowling, with the letter HUM the
RIM-PA DÜN-PO-NAM-NI GEM-MA
Seven levels she does conquer!

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 15. Great peaceful Tārā

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL DE-MA GE-MA ZHI-MA

Homage! Happy, virtuous, peaceful!
NYA-NGÄN-DÄ-ZHI CHÖ-YÜL-NYI-MA
She whose field is peace, nirvana!
SVĀHĀ OṂ-D’ANG YANG-D’AK DÄN-PÄ
She endowed with OM and SVAHA,
DIk-PA CH’EN-PO JOM-PA-NYI-MA
Destroyer of the great evil!

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 16. Tārā, destroyer of all attachment

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL KÜN-NÄ-KOR RAB-GA-WÄi

Homage! She with joy surrounded,
DrA-YI LÜ-NI RAP-TU GEM-MA
Tearing foes’ bodies asunder,
YI-G’E CHU-PÄi NGAk-NI KÖ-Päi
Frees with HUM and knowledge mantra,
RIG-PA HŪṂ-LÄ DrÖL-MA-NYI-MA
Arrangement of the ten letters!

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 17. Tārā, accomplisher of bliss

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TURE ZHAP-NI DAP-PÄ

Homage! TURE! With seed letter
HŪṂ-G’I NAM-PÄi SA-B’ÖN-NYI-MA
Of the shape of syllable HUM!
RI-RAB MÄNDARA-D’ANG Bik-J’E
By foot stamping shakes the three worlds,
JIK-TEN SUM-NAM YO-WA NYI-MA
Meru, Mandara, and Vindhya!

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 18. Victorious Tārā

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL LHA-YI TS’O-YI NAM-PÄi

Homage! Holding in her hand the
RI-D’Ak TAk-CHÄN CH’Ak-NA NAM-MA
Hare-marked moon of deva-lake form!
TĀRĀ NYI-JÖ PHÄṬ-KYI YI-G’E
With twice spoken TĀRĀ and PHAT,
D’Uk-NAM MA-LÜ-PAR-NI SEL-MA
Totally dispelling poison!

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 19.
19. Tārā, consumer of suffering

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL LHA-YI TS’Ok-NAM GYÄL-PO

Homage! She whom gods and their kings,
LHA-D’ANG MI-AM-CHI-YI TEN-MA
And the kinnaras do honor!
KÜN-NÄ G’O-CH’A GA-WÄi JI-KYI
Armored in all joyful splendor,
TSÖ-D’ANG MI-LAM NGÄN-PA SEL-MA
She dispels bad dreams and conflicts!

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 20. Tārā, source of attainments

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL NYI-MA DA-WA GYÄ-PÄi

Homage! She whose two eyes bright with
CHÄN-NYI-PO-LA WÖ RAP-SÄL-MA
Radiance of sun and full moon!
HARA NYI-JÖ TUTTĀRĀ-YI
With twice HARA and TUTTARE,
SHIN-TU Dr’AK-PÖi RIM-NÄ SEL-MA
She dispels severe contagion!

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 21. Tārā, the perfecter

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL D’E-NYI SUM-NAM KÖ-PÄ

Homage! Full of liberating
ZHI-WÄi T’U-D’ANG YANG-D’AK-DÄN-MA
Pow’r by the set of three natures!
DÖN-D’ANG RO-LANG NÖ-JIN TS’Ok-NAM
Destroys hosts of spirits, yakshas,
JOM-PA TURE RAP-CH’OG-NYI-MA
And raised corpses! Supreme! TURE!

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The benefits

TSA-WÄi NGAk-KYI TÖ-PA DI-D’ANG

These praises with the root mantras
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL-WA-NI NYI-SHU-TSA-CHIk
And twenty-one prostrations,
LHA-MO-LA G’Ü YANG-D’AK DÄN-PÄi
Whoever is endowed with devotion for the goddess
LO-DÄN G’ANG-G’I RAP-D’Ä JÖ-D’E
And recites them with supreme faith, - 22 -

SÖ-D’ANG T’O-RANG LANG-PAR J’Ä-NÄ

Remembering them at dawn upon waking and in the evenings,
Dr’ÄN-PÄ MI-JIk T’AM-CHÄ RAP-TER
Will be granted all fearlessness,
DIk-PA T’AM-CHÄ RAP-TU ZHI-WA
Will perfectly pacify all negativities,
NGÄN-DrO T’AM-CHÄ JOM-PA-NYI-D’O
And will eliminate all unfortunate migrations. -23-

GYÄL-WA J’E-WA-Tr’Ak-DÜN-NAM-KYI
The multitudes of conquerors
NYUR-D’U WANG-NI KUR-WAR GYUR-LA
Will quickly grant initiation:
DI-LÄ CH’E-WA-NYI-NI T’OP-CHING
Thus, endowed with this greatness,
SANG-GYÄ G’O-P’ANG T’AR-T’UK D’ER-DrO
One will eventually reach the state of a buddha. -24-

D’E-YI D’Uk-NI DrAK-PO CH’EN-PO

If affected by the most terrible poison,
TÄN-NÄ-PA-AM ZHÄN-YANG DrO-WA
Whether ingested, drunk, or from a living being,
ZÖ-PA D’ANG-NI T’UNG-PA-NYI KYANG
Just by remembering
DrÄN-PÄ RAP-TU SEL-WA-NYI T’OP
Will one be thoroughly cleansed. -25-

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DÖN-D’ANG RIM-D’ANG D’Uk-G’I ZIR-WÄi
If this prayer is recited two, three, or seven times,
DUk-NGÄL TS’Ok-NI NAM-PAR PONG-TE
It will pacify all the sufferings of torments
SEM-CHÄN ZHÄN-PA-NAM-LA YANG-NGO
Caused by spirits, fevers, and poisons,
NYI-SUM-DÜN-D’U NGÖN-PAR JÖ-NA
And by other beings as well. -26-

B’U-DÖ-PÄ-NI B’U T’OP-GYUR-ZHING

If you wish for a child, you will get a child;
NOR-DÖ-PÄ-NI NOR-NAM-NYI T’OP
If you wish for wealth, you will receive wealth.
DÖ-PA T’AM-CHÄ T’OP-PAR GYUR-TE
All your wishes will be fulfilled
GEk-NAM ME-CHING SO-SOR JOM-GYUR
And all obstacles pacified. -27-

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1.b The twenty-one praises to Tārā with images according to
the Nāgārjuna-Atisha tradition (Tibetan phonetics and English)

Invocation
PO TA LA YI NÄ CH’OG NÄ
From your sublime abode of the Potala,
TĀṂ YIG JANG GU LÄ Tr’UNG SHING
You who are born from the green syllable tāṃ,
Ö PAG ME KYI U LA GYÄN
Your crown adorned with Amitābha,
D’Ü SUM SANG GYÄ Tr’IN LÄ MA
Action-mother of the buddhas of the three times,
DrÖL MA K’OR CHÄ SHEG SU SÖL
Tārā, together with your retinue, please come here.

Prostration
LHA DANG LHA MIN CHÖ PÄN GY’I
The gods and demigods bow
ZHAp KYI PÄ MO LA TÜ DE
Their crowns to your lotus feet.
P’ONG PA KÜN LÄ DrÖL DZÄ MA
Liberator of all who are destitute,
DrÖL MA YUM LA CH’Ak TS’ÄL LO
To you, Mother Tārā, I prostrate.

The Twenty-One Praises

OM! JE-TSÜN-MA P’AK-MA DrÖL-MA-LA CH’Ak TS’ÄL-LO
OM I prostrate to the noble transcendent Liberator.

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 1. Tārā the heroine

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL DrÖL-MA NYUR-MA PA-MO

Homage! Tārā, swift, heroic!
CHÄN-NI KÄ-CHIk LOK-D’ANG DrA-MA
Eyes like lightning instantaneous!
JIk-TEN SUM-GÖN CH’U-KYE ZHÄL-GY’I
Sprung from op’ning stamens of the
G’E-SAR J’E-WA-LÄ-NI J’UNG-MA
Lord of three world’s tear-born lotus!

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 2. Tārā white as the autumn moon

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TÖN-KÄi DA-WA KÜN-TU

Homage! She whose face combines a
G’ANG-WA GYA-NI TSEk-PÄi ZHÄL-MA
Hundred autumn moons at fullest!
KAR-MA TONG-TrAK TS’Ok-PA-NAM-KYI
Blazing with light rays resplendent
RAp-TU CH’E-WÄi Ö RAB-BAR-MA
As a thousand star collection!

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 3. Golden-coloured Tārā

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL SER-NGO CH’U-NÄ KYE-KYI

Homage! Golden-blue one, lotus
PÄ-MÄ CH’Ak-NI NAM-PAR GYÄN-MA
Water born, in hand adorned!
JIN-PA TSÖN-DrÜ KA-T’UP ZHI-WA
Giving, effort, calm, austerities,
ZÖ-PA SAM-TÄN CHÖ-YÜL-NYI-MA
Patience, meditation her sphere!

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 4. Tārā with the victorious crown protuberance of the Tathagatas

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL D’E-ZHIN-SHEk-PÄi TSUK-TOR

Homage! Crown of tathagatas,
T’A-YÄ NAM-PAR GYÄL-WAR CHÖ-MA
Actions triumph without limit,
MA-LÜ P’A-RÖL-CH’IN-PA T’OP-PÄi
Relied on by conquerors’ children
GYÄL-WÄi SÄ-KYI SHIN-TU TEN-MA
Having reached ev’ry perfection!

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 5. Tārā proclaiming the sound of hūṃ

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TUTTĀRĀ HŪṂ YI-G’E

Homage! Filling with TUTTARE,
DÖ-D’ANG CH’Ok-D’ANG NAM-K’A G’ANG-MA
HUM, desire, direction, and space!
JIK-TEN DÜN-PO ZHAP-KYI NÄN-TE
Trampling with her feet the seven worlds,
LÜ-PA ME-PAR GUk-PAR NÜ-MA
Able to draw forth all beings!

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 6. Tārā victorious over the three worlds

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL GYA-J’IN ME-LHA TS’ANG-PA

Homage! Worshipped by the all-lords,
LUNG-LHA NA-TS’Ok WANG-CH’Uk CH’Ö-MA
Shakra, Agni, Brahma, Marut!
JUNG-PO RO-LANG Dr’I-ZA-NAM-D’ANG
Honored by the hosts of spirits,
NÖ-JIN TS’Ok-KYI DÜN-NÄ TÖ-MA
Corpse-raisers, gandharvas, yakshas!

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 7. Tārā who crushes all adversaries

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TrÄṬ-CHE-J’A-D’ANG PHÄṬ-KYI

Homage! With her TRAD and PHAT sounds
P’A-RÖL TrÜL-K’OR RAp-TU JOM-MA
Destroying foes’ magic diagrams!
YÄ-KUM YÖN-KYANG ZHAP-KYI NÄN-TE
Her feet pressing, left out, right in,
ME-BAR TrUK-PA SHIN-TU BAR-MA
Blazing in a raging fire-blaze!

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 8. Tārā who bestows supreme powers / Tārā who crushes all maras

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TURE JIk-PA CH’EN-MO

Homage! TURE, very dreadful!
DÜ-KYI PA-WO NAM-PAR JOM-MA
Destroyer of Mara’s champion(s)!
CH’U-KYE ZHÄL-NI Tr’O-NYER DÄN-DZÄ
She with frowning lotus visage,
DrA-WO T’AM-CHÄ MA-LÜ SÖ-MA
Who is slayer of all enemies!

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 9. Tārā who grants boons

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL KÖN-CH’OK SUM-TS’ÖN CHAk-GYÄi

Homage! At the heart her fingers,
SOR-MÖ T’Uk-KAR NAM-PAR GYÄN-MA
Adorn her with Three Jewel mudra!
MA-LÜ CH’Ok-KYI K’OR-LÖ GYÄN-PÄi
Light-ray masses all excited!
RANG-G’I Ö-KYI TS’Ok-NAM Tr’Uk-MA
All directions’ wheels adorn her!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -39-

 10. Tārā who dispels all sorrows
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL RAp-TU GA-WA JI-PÄi
Homage! She so joyous, radiant,
U-GYÄN Ö-KYI Tr’ENG-WA PEL-MA
Crown emitting garlands of light!
ZHÄ-PA RAP-ZHÄ TUTTĀRĀ-YI
Mirthful, laughing with TUTTARE,
DÜ-D’ANG JIK-TEN WANG-D’U DZÄ-MA
Subjugating maras, devas!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -40-

 11.Tārā who summons all beings / Dispeller of misfortune
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL SA-ZHI KYONG-WÄi TS’Ok-NAM
Homage! She able to summon
T’AM-CHÄ GUk-PAR NÜ-PA-NYI-MA
All earth-guardians’ assembly!
Tr’O-NYER YO-WÄi YI-G’E HŪṂ-G’I
Shaking, frowning, with her HUM sign
P’ONG-PA T’AM-CHÄ NAM-PAR DrÖL-MA
Saving from every misfortune!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -41-

 12. Tārā of auspicious light
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL DA-WÄi D’UM-B’Ü U-GYÄN
Homage! Crown adorned with crescent
GYÄN-PA T’AM-CHÄ SHIN-TU BAR-MA
Moon, all ornaments most shining!
RÄL-PÄi TrÖ-NA Ö-PAK-ME-LÄ
Amitabha in her hair-knot
TAK-PAR SHIN-TU WÖ-RAB DZÄ-MA
Sending out much light eternal!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -42-

 13. Tārā the ripener
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL KÄL-PÄi T’A-MÄi ME-TAR
Homage! She ’mid wreath ablaze like
BAR-WÄi Tr’ENG-WÄi Ü-NA NÄ-MA
Eon-ending fire abiding!
YÄ-KYANG YÖN-KUM KUN-NÄ-KOR GA
Right stretched, left bent, joy surrounds you,
DrA-YI PUNG-NI NAM-PAR JOM-MA
Troops of enemies destroying!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -43-

 14. Frowning Tārā
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL SA-ZHIi NGÖ-LA CH’Ak-G’I
Homage! She who strikes the ground with
T’IL-GY’I NÜN-CHING ZHAP-KYI DUNG-MA
Her palm, and with her foot beats it!
Tr’O-NYER CHÄN-DZÄ YI-G’E HŪṂ-G’I
Scowling, with the letter HUM the
RIM-PA DÜN-PO-NAM-NI GEM-MA
Seven levels she does conquer!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -44-

 15. Great peaceful Tārā
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL DE-MA GE-MA ZHI-MA
Homage! Happy, virtuous, peaceful!
NYA-NGÄN-DÄ-ZHI CHÖ-YÜL-NYI-MA
She whose field is peace, nirvana!
SVĀHĀ OṂ-D’ANG YANG-D’AK DÄN-PÄ
She endowed with OM and SVAHA,
DIk-PA CH’EN-PO JOM-PA-NYI-MA
Destroyer of the great evil!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -45-

 16. Tārā, destroyer of all attachment
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL KÜN-NÄ-KOR RAB-GA-WÄi
Homage! She with joy surrounded,
DrA-YI LÜ-NI RAP-TU GEM-MA
Tearing foes’ bodies asunder,
YI-G’E CHU-PÄi NGAk-NI KÖ-Päi
Frees with HUM and knowledge mantra,
RIG-PA HŪṂ-LÄ DrÖL-MA-NYI-MA
Arrangement of the ten letters!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -46-

 17. Tārā, accomplisher of bliss

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL TURE ZHAP-NI DAP-PÄ

Homage! TURE! With seed letter
HŪṂ-G’I NAM-PÄi SA-B’ÖN-NYI-MA
Of the shape of syllable HUM!
RI-RAB MÄNDARA-D’ANG Bik-J’E
By foot stamping shakes the three worlds,
JIK-TEN SUM-NAM YO-WA NYI-MA
Meru, Mandara, and Vindhya!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -47-

 18. Victorious Tārā

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL LHA-YI TS’O-YI NAM-PÄi

Homage! Holding in her hand the
RI-D’Ak TAk-CHÄN CH’Ak-NA NAM-MA
Hare-marked moon of deva-lake form!
TĀRĀ NYI-JÖ PHÄṬ-KYI YI-G’E
With twice spoken TĀRĀ and PHAT,
D’Uk-NAM MA-LÜ-PAR-NI SEL-MA
Totally dispelling poison!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -48-

 19. Tārā, consumer of suffering
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL LHA-YI TS’Ok-NAM GYÄL-PO
Homage! She whom gods and their kings,
LHA-D’ANG MI-AM-CHI-YI TEN-MA
And the kinnaras do honor!
KÜN-NÄ G’O-CH’A GA-WÄi JI-KYI
Armored in all joyful splendor,
TSÖ-D’ANG MI-LAM NGÄN-PA SEL-MA
She dispels bad dreams and conflicts!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -49-

 20.Tārā, source of attainments

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL NYI-MA DA-WA GYÄ-PÄi

Homage! She whose two eyes bright with
CHÄN-NYI-PO-LA WÖ RAP-SÄL-MA
Radiance of sun and full moon!
HARA NYI-JÖ TUTTĀRĀ-YI
With twice HARA and TUTTARE,
SHIN-TU Dr’AK-PÖi RIM-NÄ SEL-MA
She dispels severe contagion!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -50-

 21. Tārā, the perfecter

CH’Ak-TS’ÄL D’E-NYI SUM-NAM KÖ-PÄ

Homage! Full of liberating
ZHI-WÄi T’U-D’ANG YANG-D’AK-DÄN-MA
Pow’r by the set of three natures!
DÖN-D’ANG RO-LANG NÖ-JIN TS’Ok-NAM
Destroys hosts of spirits, yakshas,
JOM-PA TURE RAP-CH’OG-NYI-MA
And raised corpses! Supreme! TURE!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -51-

The benefits

TSA-WÄi NGAk-KYI TÖ-PA DI-D’ANG

These praises with the root mantras
CH’Ak-TS’ÄL-WA-NI NYI-SHU-TSA-CHIk
And twenty-one prostrations,
LHA-MO-LA G’Ü YANG-D’AK DÄN-PÄi
Whoever is endowed with devotion for the goddess
LO-DÄN G’ANG-G’I RAP-D’Ä JÖ-D’E
And recites them with supreme faith, - 22 -

SÖ-D’ANG T’O-RANG LANG-PAR J’Ä-NÄ

Remembering them at dawn upon waking and in the evenings,
Dr’ÄN-PÄ MI-JIk T’AM-CHÄ RAP-TER
Will be granted all fearlessness,
DIk-PA T’AM-CHÄ RAP-TU ZHI-WA
Will perfectly pacify all negativities,
NGÄN-DrO T’AM-CHÄ JOM-PA-NYI-D’O
And will eliminate all unfortunate migrations. -23-

GYÄL-WA J’E-WA-Tr’Ak-DÜN-NAM-KYI
The multitudes of conquerors
NYUR-D’U WANG-NI KUR-WAR GYUR-LA
Will quickly grant initiation:
DI-LÄ CH’E-WA-NYI-NI T’OP-CHING
Thus, endowed with this greatness,
SANG-GYÄ G’O-P’ANG T’AR-T’UK D’ER-DrO
One will eventually reach the state of a buddha. -24-

D’E-YI D’Uk-NI DrAK-PO CH’EN-PO

If affected by the most terrible poison,
TÄN-NÄ-PA-AM ZHÄN-YANG DrO-WA
Whether ingested, drunk, or from a living being,
ZÖ-PA D’ANG-NI T’UNG-PA-NYI KYANG
Just by remembering
DrÄN-PÄ RAP-TU SEL-WA-NYI T’OP
Will one be thoroughly cleansed. -25-

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -52-

DÖN-D’ANG RIM-D’ANG D’Uk-G’I ZIR-WÄi
If this prayer is recited two, three, or seven times,
DUk-NGÄL TS’Ok-NI NAM-PAR PONG-TE
It will pacify all the sufferings of torments
SEM-CHÄN ZHÄN-PA-NAM-LA YANG-NGO
Caused by spirits, fevers, and poisons,
NYI-SUM-DÜN-D’U NGÖN-PAR JÖ-NA
And by other beings as well. -26-

B’U-DÖ-PÄ-NI B’U T’OP-GYUR-ZHING

If you wish for a child, you will get a child;
NOR-DÖ-PÄ-NI NOR-NAM-NYI T’OP
If you wish for wealth, you will receive wealth.
DÖ-PA T’AM-CHÄ T’OP-PAR GYUR-TE
All your wishes will be fulfilled
GEk-NAM ME-CHING SO-SOR JOM-GYUR
And all obstacles pacified. -27-

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -53-

2.a The twenty-one praises in Sanskrit (Romanized and
Devanagari)
Romanized Sanskrit version (by Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon1)

(ārya) tārānamaskāraikaviṃśatistotram

om namo bhagavatyai āryaśrī-ekaviṃśatitārāyai

namastāre ture vīre kṣaṇadyutinibhekṣaṇe|

trailokyanāthavaktrābjavikasatkamalodbhave|| 1||

namaḥ śataśaraccandrasaṃpūrṇeva varānane|

tārāsahasrakiraṇaiḥ prahasatkiraṇojjvale|| 2||

namaḥ kanakanīlābja-pāṇipadmavibhūṣite|
dānavīryatapaḥśā(kṣā)ntititikṣādhyānagocare|| 3||

namastathāgatoṣṇīṣavijayānantacāriṇi|
śeṣapāramitāprāptajinaputraniṣevite|| 4||

namastutārahuṃkārapūritāśādigantare|
saptalokakramākrā[nte] aśeṣakaruṇā(ṇe)kṣaṇe|| 5||

namaḥ śakrānalabrahmamarudviśveśvarārcite|
bhūtavetālagandharvagaṇayakṣapuraskṛte || 6||

namaḥ straditi phaṭkāra parajatra(yantra)pramardini|

pratyālīḍhapadanyāse śikhī(khi)jvālākulojjvale|| 7||

namasture mahāghore mālavīravināśini|

bhṛkuṭīkṛtavaktrābjasarvaśatrunisundanī(ṣūdini)|| 8||

namaḥ strīratnamudrāṅkahṛdayāṅgulibhūṣite|
bhūṣitāśeṣadikcakranikarasvakarākule|| 9||

namaḥ pramuditāśeṣamuktākṣīraprasāriṇi|
hasatprahasatuttāre māralolavaśaṅkari|| 10||

namaḥ samantabhūpālapata(ṭa)lākarṣaṇa(ṇe)kṣaṇe|
carabhṛkuṭihūṃkārasarvāpadavimocanī(cini) || 11||

1
http://www.dsbcproject.org/

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -54-

namaḥ śrīkhaṇḍakhaṇḍendu[su]muktābharaṇa(ṇo)jjvale|
amitābhajitābhārabhāsure kiraṇoddhruve(ddhure) || 12||

namaḥ kalpāntahutabhugajvālāmālāntare(ra)sthite|
ālīḍhamudi(dri)tābaddharipucakravināśinī(ni)|| 13||

namaḥ karatarā(lā)ghāṭa(ta)caraṇāhatabhūtale|
bhṛkuṭīkṛtahuṃkārasaptapātālabhedinī(ni)|| 14||

namaḥ śive śubhe śānte śāntanirvāṇagocare|

svāhāpraṇavasaṃyukte mahāpātakanāśanī(śini)|| 15||

namaḥ pramuditābaddharigātraprabhedini|
daśākṣarapadanyāse vidyāhuṃkāradīpite|| 16||

nama[stāre] ture pādaghātahuṃkāravījite|

merumaṇḍalakailāśabhuvanatrayacāriṇī(ṇi) || 17||

namaḥ sure sa(śa)rākārahariṇāṅkakare(ra)sthite|

haridviruktaphaṭkāra(re) aśeṣaviṣanāśiṇī(ni)|| 18||

namaḥ surāsuragaṇayakṣakinnarasevite |
abuddhamuditābhogakarī(ri) duḥsvapnanāśinī(ni) || 19 ||

namaścandrārkasampūrṇanayanadyutibhāsvare|
tārādviruktatuttāre viṣamajvala(ra)nāśini|| 20||

namaḥ strītattvavinyāse śivaśaktisamanvite|

grahavetāra(la)yakṣoṣmanāśini pravare ture|| 21||

mantramūlamidaṃ stotraṃ namaskāraikaviṃśatiḥ(ti)|

yaḥ paṭhetprātaḥ (paṭhet prayataḥ) dhīmān devyābhaktisamanvite(taḥ)||22||

sāyaṃ vā prātarutthāya smaret sarvābhayapradam|

sarvapāpapraśamanaṃ sarvadurgatināśanam|| 23||

abhiṣikto bhavet tūrṇaṃ saptabhirjinakoṭibhiḥ|

māsamātreṇa caivāsau sukhaṃ bauddhapadaṃ vrajet|| 24||

viṣaṃ tasya mahāghoraṃ sthāvaraṃ cātha jaṅgamam|

smaraṇānna padaṃ yāti khāditaṃ pi(pī)tameva vā|| 25||

grahajo(jā)laviṣārtānāṃ parastrīviṣanāśanam|
anyeṣāṃ caiva sattvānāṃ dvisaptamabhivartitam|| 26||

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -55-

putrakāmo labhet putraṃ ghanakāmo labheddhanam|
sarvakāmānavāpnoti na vighnaiḥ pratihanyate|| 27||

iti śrīsamyaksaṃbuddhavailo(ro)canabhāṣitaṃ bhagavatyāryatārādevyā

namaskāraikaviṃśatināmāṣṭottaraśatakaṃ buddhabhāṣitaṃ parisamāptam

Devanagari Sanskrit version (by Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon)

(आर्य ) तारानमस्कारै कव िंशवतस्तोत्रम्

ॐ नमो भग त्यै आर्यश्री-एकव िंशवततारार्ै

नमस्तारे तुरे ीरे क्षणद् र्ुवतवनभेक्षणे।

त्रैलोक्यनाथ क्त्राब्जव कसत्कमलोद्भ े॥ १॥

नमः शतशरच्चन्द्रसिं पूणे रानने।

तारासहस्रवकरणैः प्रहसत्कत्करणोज्ज्वले ॥ २॥

नमः कनकनीलाब्ज-पावणपद्मव भूविते।

दान ीर्यतपः शा(क्षा)त्किवतवतक्षाध्यानगोचरे ॥ ३॥

नमस्तथागतोष्णीिव जर्ानिचाररवण।
शेिपारवमताप्राप्तवजनपुत्रवनिेव ते॥ ४॥

नमस्तुतारहिं कारपूररताशावदगिरे ।
सप्तलोकक्रमाक्रा[िे] अशेिकरुणा(णे)क्षणे॥ ५॥

नमः शक्रानलब्रह्ममरुविश्वेश्वरावचयते।
भूत ेतालगन्ध यगणर्क्षपुरस्कृते॥ ६॥

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -56-

नमः स्त्रवदवत फट् कार परजत्र(र्न्त्र)प्रमवदय वन।
प्रत्यालीढपदन्यासे वशखी(त्कख)ज्वालाकुलोज्ज्वले॥ ७॥

नमस्तुरे महाघोरे माल ीरव नावशवन।

भृकुटीकृत क्त्राब्जस यशत्रुवनसुन्दनी(िूवदवन)॥ ८॥

नमः स्त्रीरत्नमुद्राङ्कहृदर्ाङ् गुवलभूविते।

भूविताशेिवदक्चक्रवनकरस्वकराकुले॥ ९॥

नमः प्रमुवदताशे िमु क्ताक्षीरप्रसाररवण।

हसत्प्रहसतुत्तारे मारलोल शङ्करर॥ १०॥

नमः समिभूपालपत(ट)लाकियण(णे)क्षणे।
चरभृकुवटहिं कारस ाय पदव मोचनी(वचवन)॥ ११॥

नमः श्रीखण्डखण्डे न्दु [सु]मुक्ताभरण(णो)ज्ज्वले।

अवमताभवजताभारभासुरे वकरणोद् रु े(द् धुरे)॥ १२॥

नमः कल्पािहतभुगज्वालामालािरे (र)त्किते।

आलीढमुवद(वद्र)ताबद्धररपुचक्रव नावशनी(वन)॥ १३॥

नमः करतरा(ला)घाट(त)चरणाहतभूतले ।
भृकुटीकृतहुँ कारसप्तपातालभेवदनी(वन)॥ १४॥

नमः वश े शु भे शािे शािवन ाय णगोचरे ।

स्वाहाप्रण सिंर्ुक्ते महापातकनाशनी(वशवन)॥ १५॥

नमः प्रमुवदताबद्धररगात्रप्रभेवदवन।
दशाक्षरपदन्यासे व द्याहिं कारदीवपते॥ १६॥

नम[स्तारे ] तुरे पादघातहिं कार ीवजते।

मेरुमण्डलकैलाशभु नत्रर्चाररणी(वण)॥ १७॥

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -57-

नमः सुरे स(श)राकारहररणाङ्ककरे (र)त्किते।
हररविरुक्तफट् कार(रे ) अशेिव िनावशणी(वन)॥ १८॥

नमः सुरासुरगणर्क्षवकन्नरसेव ते।

अबुद्धमुवदताभोगकरी(रर) दु ः स्वप्ननावशनी(वन)॥ १९॥

नमश्चन्द्राकयसम्पूणयनर्नद् र्ुवतभास्वरे ।
ताराविरुक्ततुत्तारे व िमज्वल(र)नावशवन॥ २०॥

नमः स्त्रीतत्त्वव न्यासे वश शत्कक्तसमत्किते।

ग्रह ेतार(ल)र्क्षोष्मनावशवन प्र रे तुरे॥ २१॥
मन्त्रमूलवमदिं स्तोत्रिं नमस्कारै कव िंशवतः (वत)।
र्ः पठे त्प्रातः (पठे त् प्रर्तः ) धीमान् दे व्याभत्कक्तसमत्किते(तः )॥२२॥

सार्िं ा प्रातरुत्थार् स्मरे त् स ाय भर्प्रदम् ।

स यपापप्रशमनिं स यदुगयवतनाशनम्॥ २३॥

अवभविक्तो भ े त् तूणं सप्तवभवजयनकोवटवभः ।

मासमात्रेण चै ासौ सुखिं बौद्धपदिं व्रजेत्॥ २४॥

व ििं तस्य महाघोरिं िा रिं चाथ जङ्गमम्।

स्मरणान्न पदिं र्ावत खावदतिं वप(पी)तमे ा॥ २५॥

ग्रहजो(जा)लव िाताय नािं परस्त्रीव िनाशनम्।

अन्येिािं चै सत्त्वानािं विसप्तमवभ वतयतम् ॥ २६॥

पुत्रकामो लभेत् पुत्रिं घनकामो लभेद्धनम्।

स यकामान ाप्नोवत न व घ्ैः प्रवतहन्यते॥ २७॥

इवत श्रीसम्यक्सिंबुद्ध ै लो(रो)चनभावितिं भग त्यार्यतारादे व्या

नमस्कारै कव िंशवतनामाष्टोत्तरशतकिं बु द्धभावितिं पररसमाप्तम् ।

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -58-

2.b - The twenty-one praises to Tārā, a literal translation
from the Sanskrit

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -59-

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -60-
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -61-
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -62-
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -63-
2.c A critical edition of the Tibetan translation of the
twenty-one praises to Tārā

Preface
When chanting the “Praises of the Twenty-One Tārās”2 in varying groups, or
when seeing different versions of the text, you may sometimes notice different
terms being used. Although only one Tibetan translation of the Sanskrit original
appears to have survived, the different blockprints of the Tibetan version do
not always have exactly the same text. This critical edition of the Tibetan
translation was made by Martin Willson in his In Praise of Tārā, Songs to the
Saviouress3, an excellent source of much information on Tārā, which has been
out of print for many years now. Martin compared these ten editions, preceded
by the identifying letters used in the footnotes:
A Small lithographed pe-cha, entitled rJe bsun sgrol ma la bstod pa phyag
‘tshal nyer gcig pa zhes bya ba. Last pages absent in Martin’s copy, so no
publication details.
D Quoted in the commentary of Ngül-ch’u Dharmabhadra in his Collected
Works, Vol. 2.
G Quoted in the commentary of Gedün Drup-pa, his Collected Works, Vol.
6).
J Quoted in the commentary of Je-tsün Dr’ag-pa Gyäl-ts’än (Sa skya pa’i
bka’ ‘bum, Vol. 4, 92-94).
K Typeset pe-cha, 10 leaves, sGrol ma dkar sngon gyi bstod pa dang
gzungs bcas. Mani Printing Works, Kalimpong.
L Lhasa Kangyur, rGyud ‘bum, NGA ( ). ང
Q Tibetan text in the Quadrilingual blockprint, In Praise of Tārā, p. 109.
S1, S4 Quoted in the commentaries of Sūryagupta, Peking Tängyur, P2557 and
P2560.
T Tog Palace Kangyur, rGyud ‘bum, NGA ( ). ང
2
According to the commentaries, two interpretations are possible: twenty-one
qualities of a single Āryā Tārā or twenty-one different manifestations of this
female Buddha. (Ed.)
3
In Praise of Tārā, Songs to the Saviouress by Martin Willson (Wisdom
Publications, Somerville MA, USA, 1996). Further referred to as In Praise of Tārā.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -64-
Three sources (Q, S1, S4) give only verses 1 to 21; the other seven are complete
apart from a few words in G. Many of the variants are simply different spellings
or different tenses of verbs (“at 26b, past, present and future are all found, and
all make sense”). Martin omitted around forty “evident misprints of no
interest”.
In the list of variants, ‘6d kyis (kyi L S1)’ implies that in the fourth line of verse 6,
L and S1 erroneously read kyi while all the other texts are consistent with the
correct reading, kyis.
‘+Skt’ indicates that that is the literal Tibetan translation of the established
Sanskrit text. The words in the transliterated version that are coloured green4
have variants that in Martin’s opinion are worth considering.

The praises are presented six times: in Tibetan script, Tibetan transliteration
(Wylie system), Tibetan phonetics (sometimes using different variants),
chantable English, romanized Sanskrit (p. 54) and Devanagari (p. 56).

The Tibetan text was edited by Martin Willson, who made reasoned choices
among the variants found in the above-mentioned texts - texts that show a
certain number of disagreements, sometimes significant.
As to the number of verses, Martin comments “… the Tibetan practice of
cutting short the recitation in mid-sentence, half-way through verse 22, should
not mislead anyone into supposing that the remainder of the ‘benefit verses’ is
not part of the basic text. It is included in both Sanskrit and Tibetan texts, in the
Kangyur and elsewhere, and is required so that the total length of the text
should be twenty-seven verses, which is exactly 108 pādas5, a number we have
already found in connection with Tārā in The Hundred and Eight Names.”
After reading these comments by Martin, who gave me a copy of the first
edition of In Praise of Tārā in 1983 when we were both studying with Geshe
Rabten in Switzerland, I have included the last five and a half verses in my daily
recitation. I respectfully request practitioners to consider reciting the full text
of the Praises.

Hermes Brandt

4
E.g. bskums in 7c (verse 7, third line).
5
In Sanskrit meter, a pāda is a metrical foot – here, a line of text.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -65-
The title

༄༅། །བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་མ་འཕགས་མ་ལྷ་མོ་
སོལ་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་བ་
ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་གཅིག་གིས་
སོད་པ་
ནི།

bcom ldan 'das ma 'phags ma lha mo sgrol ma la phyag 'tshal ba nyi

shu rtsa gcig gis stod pa ni

CHOM DÄN DÄ MA PHAG MA LHA MO DrÖL MA LA CH'Ak TS'ÄL WA NYI SHU

TSA CHIG GI TÖ PA NI

The Praise in Twenty-One Homages of the Noble Transcendent Divine

Liberator6

6
The Sanskrit tārā (“planet” or “star”) is translated in Tibetan as sgrol ma (“she
who saves”). This is quite a bold move for a translator. Literal translations in
Tibetan would be kar-ma (skar ma), Tibetan for ‘star’, or za (gza'), Tibetan for
‘planet’. The Tibetan translators probably wanted to avoid the term “kar-ma”, a
Tibetan word that sounds exactly like the Sanskrit word for cause and effect,
‘karma’. Had they translated Tārā’s name literally, the line introducing the
twenty-one praises would have been “OṂ! JE-TSÜN-MA P'Ak-MA KAR-MA-LA
CH'Ak TS'ÄL-LO / OṂ I prostrate to the noble transcendent Star.” (Ed.)

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -66-

Homage by the Tibetan translator7

༈ ཨོཾ་རྗེ་བཙུན་མ་འཕགས་མ་སོལ་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ།
oṃ8 rje btsun ma 'phags ma sgrol ma la phyag 'tshal lo

OṂ! JE-TSÜN-MA P’Ak-MA DrÖL-MA-LA CH'Ak TS'ÄL-LO

OṂ I prostrate to the noble transcendent Liberator.

7
This homage is not included in the Sanskrit text, but appears in the Tibetan
translation in the Kangyur, without the oṃ, as the translator’s homage, which
traditionally precedes any Tibetan translation of a sacred text. In recitation, it is
made into a mantra by the addition of the oṃ. The Kangyur does not mention
the translator’s name, but according to Jetsün Dragpa Gyälts’än’s commentary
on the Praises, he was called Nyän and was from the late eleventh century.
8
So ADGK, omitted JLT.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -67-
The praise in twenty-one homages

1. རབ་ཏུ་དཔའ་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Swift and Heroic

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་སོལ་མ་མྱུར་མ་དཔའ་མོ།
། སྤྱན་ནི་སྐད་ཅིག་གོག་དང་འདྲ་མ།
། འཇིག་རྗེན་གསུམ་མགོན་ཆུ་སྗེས་ཞལ་གི།
། གྗེ་སར་བྗེ་བ་ལས་ནི་བྱུང་མ། །༡། །
phyag 'tshal sgrol ma myur ma dpa' mo9
spyan ni skad cig glog dang 'dra ma
'jig rten gsum mgon chu skyes zhal gyi
ge sar bye10 ba las ni byung ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL DrÖL-MA NYUR-MA PA-MO

CHÄN-NI KÄ-CHIk LOK-D'ANG DrA-MA
JIk-TEN SUM-GÖN CH'U-KYE ZHÄL-GY'I
GE-SAR J'E-WA-LÄ-NI J'UNG-MA

Homage! Tāra, swift, heroic!

Eyes like lightning instantaneous!
Sprung from op'ning stamens of the
Lord of three world's tear-born lotus!

9
dpa' mo (dpal mo AD).
10
bye (phye T).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -68-
2. དཀར་མོ་ཟླ་མདངས་ཀི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā White as the Autumn Moon

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་སོན་ཀའི་ཟླ་བ་ཀུན་ཏུ།
། གང་བ་བརྒྱ་ནི་བརྩྗེགས་པའི་ཞལ་མ།
། སྐར་མ་སོང་ཕྲག་ཚོགས་པ་རྣམས་ཀིས།
། རབ་ཏུ་ཕྱྗེ་བའི་འོད་རབ་འབར་མ། །༢། །
phyag 'tshal ston ka'i zla ba kun tu
gang ba11 brgya ni brtsegs pa'i zhal ma
skar ma stong phrag tshogs pa rnams kyis
rab tu phye ba'i 'od rab 'bar ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL TÖN-KÄi DA-WA KÜN-TU

G'ANG-WA GYA-NI TSEk-PÄi ZHÄL-MA
KAR-MA TONG-TrAK TS'Ok-PA-NAM-KYI
RAp-TU CH'E-WÄi Ö RAB-BAR-MA

Homage! She whose face combines a

Hundred autumn moons at fullest!
Blazing with light rays resplendent
As a thousand star collection!

11
gang ba (gang ma A).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -69-
3. གསྗེར་མདོག་ཅན་གི་སོལ་མ་ / Golden-coloured Tārā

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་གསྗེར་སོ་ཆུ་ནས་སྗེས་ཀི།
། པདྨས་ཕྱག་ནི་རྣམ་པར་བརྒྱན་མ།
། སིན་པ་བརྩོན་འགྲུས་དཀའ་ཐུབ་ཞི་བ།
། བཟོད་པ་བསམ་གཏན་སྤྱོད་ཡུལ་ཉིད་མ། །༣། །
phyag 'tshal gser12 sngo chu nas skyes kyi
padmas phyag ni rnam par brgyan ma
sbyin pa brtson 'grus dka' thub zhi ba
bzod pa bsam gtan spyod yul nyid ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL SER-NGO CH'U-NÄ KYE-KYI

PÄ-MÄ CH'Ak-NI NAM-PAR GYÄN-MA
JIN-PA TSÖN-DrÜ KA-T'UP ZHI-WA
ZÖ-PA SAM-TÄN CHÖ-YÜL-NYI-MA

Homage! Golden-blue one, lotus

Water born, in hand adorned!
Giving, effort, calm, austerities,
Patience, meditation her sphere!

12
gser – ‘gold’ (ser - ‘yellow’ GK).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -70-
4. གཙུག་ཏོར་རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā the Victorious Uṣṇīṣa of the
Tathāgatas

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་དྗེ་བཞིན་གཤྗེགས་པའི་གཙུག་ཏོར།
། མཐའ་ཡས་རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ་བར་སྤྱོད་མ།
། མ་ལུས་ཕ་རོལ་ཕྱིན་པ་ཐོབ་པའི།
། རྒྱལ་བའི་སྲས་ཀིས་ཤིན་ཏུ་བསྗེན་མ། །༤། །
phyag 'tshal de bzhin gshegs pa'i gtsug tor
mtha' yas rnam par rgyal bar spyod ma
ma lus pha rol phyin pa thob pa'i
rgyal ba'i sras kyis shin tu bsten ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL D'E-ZHIN-SHEk-PÄi TSUK-TOR

T'A-YÄ NAM-PAR GYÄL-WAR CHÖ-MA
MA-LÜ P'A-RÖL-CH'IN-PA T'OP-PÄi
GYÄL-WÄi SÄ-KYI SHIN-TU TEN-MA

Homage! Crown of tathagatas,

Actions triumph without limit,
Relied on by conquerors' children
Having reached ev'ry perfection!

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -71-

5. ཧཱུཾ་ས་སོག་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Proclaiming the Sound of HŪṂ

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཏུཏ་ྟཱ ར་ཧཱུཾ་ཡི་གྗེས།
། འདོད་དང་ཕྱོགས་དང་ནམ་མཁའ་གང་མ།
། འཇིག་རྗེན་བདུན་པོ་ཞབས་ཀིས་མནན་ཏྗེ།
། ལུས་པ་མྗེད་པར་འགུགས་པར་ནུས་མ། །༥། །
phyag 'tshal tuttā ra13 hūṃ yi ges14
'dod dang phyogs dang nam mkha' gang ma
'jig rten bdun15 po zhabs kyis mnan te
lus pa med par 'gugs par nus ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL TUTTĀRA HŪṂ YI-G'E

DÖ-D'ANG CH'Ok-D'ANG NAM-K'A G'ANG-MA
JIK-TEN DÜN-PO ZHAP-KYI NÄN-TE
LÜ-PA ME-PAR GUk-PAR NÜ-MA

Homage! Filling with TUTTARE,

HUM, desire, direction, and space!
Trampling with her feet the seven worlds,
Able to draw forth all beings!

13
tuttā ra (tuttā re AJ).
14
yi ges (yi ge JL).
15
bdun (gsum S4).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -72-
6. འཇིག་རྗེན་གསུམ་ལས་རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Victorious over the
Three Worlds

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་བརྒྱ་བིན་མྗེ་ལྷ་ཚངས་པ།
། རླུང་ལྷ་སྣ་ཚོགས་དབང་ཕྱུག་མཆོད་མ།
། འབྱུང་པོ་རོ་ལངས་དྲི་ཟ་རྣམས་དང་།
། གནོད་སིན་ཚོགས་ཀིས་མདུན་ནས་བསོད་མ། །༦། །
phyag 'tshal brgya byin me lha tshangs pa
rlung lha sna tshogs dbang phyug mchod ma
'byung po ro langs dri za rnams dang
gnod sbyin tshogs kyis16 mdun nas bstod ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL GYA-J'IN ME-LHA TS'ANG-PA

LUNG-LHA NA-TS'Ok WANG-CH'Uk CH'Ö-MA
JUNG-PO RO-LANG Dr'I-ZA-NAM-D'ANG
NÖ-JIN TS'Ok-KYI DÜN-NÄ TÖ-MA

Homage! Worshipped by the all-lords,

Shakra, Agni, Brahma, Marut!
Honored by the hosts of spirits,
Corpse-raisers, gandharvas, yakshas!

16
kyis (kyi L S1).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -73-
7. རོལ་བ་འཇོམས་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Crushing Adversaries

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཏྲཊ་ཅྗེས་བ་དང་ཕཊ་ཀིས།
། ཕ་རོལ་འཁྲུལ་འཁོར་རབ་ཏུ་འཇོམས་མ།
། གཡས་བསྐུམ་གཡོན་བརྐྱང་ཞབས་ཀིས་མནན་ཏྗེ།
། མྗེ་འབར་འཁྲུག་པ་ཤིན་ཏུ་འབར་མ། །༧། །

phyag 'tshal traṭ17 ces bya dang phaṭ kyis

pha rol 'khrul 'khor rab tu 'joms ma
g.yas bskum18 g.yon brkyang19 zhabs kyis mnan te
me 'bar 'khrug20 pa21 shin tu 'bar ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL TrÄṬ-CHE-J'A-D'ANG PHÄṬ-KYI

P'A-RÖL TrÜL-K'OR RAp-TU JOM-MA
YÄ-KUM YÖN-KYANG ZHAP-KYI NÄN-TE
ME-BAR TrUK-PA SHIN-TU BAR-MA

Homage! With her TRAD and PHAT sounds

Destroying foes' magic diagrams!
Her feet pressing, left out, right in,
Blazing in a raging fire-blaze!

17
traṭ AD S1 S4+Skt; trad GKLQT (ṭat J).
18
bskum AJLQ S1 S4T; bskums DGK.
19
brkyang AJLQ S1 S4T; brkyangs DGK.
20
'khrug ADGJK S1; 'khrugs LQ S4T.
21
pa ADGJKLQ; ma S1 S4.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -74-
8.22 དབང་མཆོག་སྗེར་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Who Bestows Supreme Powers

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཏུ་རྗེ་འཇིགས་པ་ཆྗེན་མོ།
། བདུད་ཀི་དཔའ་བོ་རྣམ་པར་འཇོམས་མ།
། ཆུ་སྗེས་ཞལ་ནི་ཁོ་གཉྗེར་ལྡན་མཛད།
། དགྲ་བོ་ཐམས་ཅད་མ་ལུས་གསོད་མ། །༨། །
phyag 'tshal tu re23 'jigs pa chen mo24
bdud kyi dpa' bo rnam par 'joms ma
chu skyes zhal ni khro gnyer ldan mdzad
dgra bo thams cad ma lus25 gsod ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL TURE JIk-PA CH'EN-MO

DÜ-KYI PA-WO NAM-PAR JOM-MA
CH'U-KYE ZHÄL-NI Tr'O-NYER DÄN-DZÄ
DrA-WO T'AM-CHÄ MA-LÜ SÖ-MA

Homage! TURE, very dreadful!

Destroyer of Mara's champion(s)!
She with frowning lotus visage,
Who is slayer of all enemies!

22
8 and 9 interchanged S4.
23
tu re (tu res S1).
24
chen mo (chen po K S1).
25
ma lus (rab tu S4).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -75-
9. མཆོག་སོལ་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Granter of Sublime [Realizations]

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་དཀོན་མཆོག་གསུམ་མཚོན་ཕྱག་རྒྱའི།
། སོར་མོས་ཐུགས་ཀར་རྣམ་པར་བརྒྱན་མ།
། མ་ལུས་ཕྱོགས་ཀི་འཁོར་ལོས་བརྒྱན་པའི།
། རང་གི་འོད་ཀི་ཚོགས་རྣམས་འཁྲུག་མ། །༩། །
phyag 'tshal dkon mchog gsum mtshon phyag rgya'i26
sor mos thugs kar rnam par brgyan ma
ma lus phyogs kyi27 'khor los brgyan pa'i
rang gi 'od kyi tshogs rnams 'khrug28 ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL KÖN-CH'OK SUM-TS'ÖN CHAk-GYÄi

SOR-MÖ T'Uk-KAR NAM-PAR GYÄN-MA
MA-LÜ CH'Ok-KYI K'OR-LÖ GYÄN-PÄi
RANG-G'I Ö-KYI TS'Ok-NAM Tr'Uk-MA

Homage! At the heart her fingers,

Adorn her with Three Jewel mudra!
Light-ray masses all excited!
All directions' wheels adorn her!

26
rgya'i (rgya S4).
27
kyis T.
28
'khrug ADGJKLS4T; 'khrugs QS1.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -76-
10. མྱ་ངན་སྗེལ་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Dispelling All Sorrow

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་རབ་ཏུ་དགའ་བ་བརིད་པའི།
། དབུ་རྒྱན་འོད་ཀི་ཕྲྗེང་བ་སྗེལ་མ།
། བཞད་པ་རབ་བཞད་ཏུཏ་ྟཱ ར་ཡིས།
། བདུད་དང་འཇིག་རྗེན་དབང་དུ་མཛད་མ། །༡༠། །
phyag 'tshal rab tu dga' ba29 brjid pa'i
dbu rgyan 'od kyi phreng30 ba spel ma
bzhad pa rab bzhad tuttā ra31 yis
bdud dang 'jig rten dbang du mdzad ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL RAp-TU GA-WA JI-PÄi

U-GYÄN Ö-KYI Tr'ENG-WA PEL-MA
ZHÄ-PA RAP-ZHÄ TUTTĀRA-YI
DÜ-D'ANG JIK-TEN WANG-D'U DZÄ-MA

Homage! She so joyous, radiant,

Crown emitting garlands of light!
Mirthful, laughing with TUTTARE,
Subjugating maras, devas32!

29
dga' ba (dga' bas S1; dga' bar S4).
30
phreng AGJKLQ S1S4; 'phreng DT.
31
tuttā ra ADKLS4T (tuttā re S1; tāre G).
32
‘jig ten literally means ‘world(s)’or ‘worldly’. According to Gedün drup’s
commentary, the term here refers to worldly gods (‘devas’).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -77-
 11. འགྲོ་བ་འགུགས་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Summoner of All Beings

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ས་གཞི་སོང་བའི་ཚོགས་རྣམས།
། ཐམས་ཅད་འགུགས་པར་ནུས་པ་ཉིད་མ།
། ཁོ་གཉྗེར་གཡོ་བའི་ཡི་གྗེ་ཧཱུཾ་གིས།
། ཕོངས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་རྣམ་པར་སོལ་མ། །༡༡། །
phyag 'tshal sa gzhi skyong ba'i tshogs rnams
thams cad 'gugs par nus pa33 nyid ma
khro gnyer g.yo ba'i34 yi ge hūṃ gis
phongs35 pa thams cad rnam par36 sgrol ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL SA-ZHI KYONG-WÄi TS'Ok-NAM

T'AM-CHÄ GUk-PAR NÜ-PA-NYI-MA
Tr'O-NYER YO-WÄi YI-G'E HŪṂ-G'I
P'ONG-PA T'AM-CHÄ NAM-PAR DrÖL-MA

Homage! She able to summon

All earth-guardians' assembly!
Shaking, frowning, with her HUM sign
Saving from every misfortune!

33
nus pa ADJQS1S4; nus ma KLT.
34
g.yo ba'i ADKLQS1T; g.yo ba JS4.
35
phongs ADJKLQS4; 'phongs GS1T.
36
rnam par (rab tu S4).

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -78-

12. བཀྲ་ཤིས་སྣང་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā of Auspicious Light

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཟླ་བའི་དུམ་བུས་དབུ་བརྒྱན།
། བརྒྱན་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཤིན་ཏུ་འབར་མ།
། རལ་པའི་ཁུར་ན་འོད་དཔག་མྗེད་ལས།
། རག་པར་ཤིན་ཏུ་འོད་ནི་མཛད་མ། །༡༢། །
phyag 'tshal zla ba'i dum bus37 dbu brgyan38
brgyan pa thams cad shin tu 'bar ma
ral pa'i khur na39 'od dpag med las
rtag par shin tu 'od ni40 mdzad ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL DA-WÄi D'UM-B'Ü U-GYÄN

GYÄN-PA T'AM-CHÄ SHIN-TU BAR-MA
RÄL-PÄi TrÖ-NA Ö-PAK-ME-LÄ
TAK-PAR SHIN-TU WÖ-RAB DZÄ-MA

Homage! Crown adorned with crescent

Moon, all ornaments most shining!
Amitābha in her hair-knot
Sending out much light eternal!

37
dum bus AJKLS1S4T+Skt; rtse mos DGQ.
38
brgyan AGJKLS4T; rgyan DQS1+Skt.
39
khur na GS4T+Skt; khrod na DJKL; khrod nas AQ S1.
40
ni ADGLS1 (i.e. Skt. kiraṇadhruve); rab JKQS4 (i.e. Skt. kiraṇoddhruve).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -79-
 13. ཡོངས་སུ་སིན་པར་མཛད་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā the Ripener

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་བསྐལ་པའི་ཐ་མའི་མྗེ་ལྟར།
། འབར་བའི་ཕྲྗེང་བའི་དབུས་ན་གནས་མ།
། གཡས་བརྐྱང་གཡོན་བསྐུམ་ཀུན་ནས་བསྐོར་དགའ།
། དགྲ་ཡི་དཔུང་ནི་རྣམ་པར་འཇོམས་མ། །༡༣། །
phyag 'tshal bskal pa'i41 tha42 ma'i me ltar
'bar ba'i phreng43 ba'i dbus na gnas44 ma
g.yas brkyang45 g.yon bskum46 kun nas bskor dga'47
dgra yi dpung ni rnam par 'joms ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL KÄL-PÄi T'A-MÄi ME-TAR

BAR-WÄi Tr'ENG-WÄi Ü-NA NÄ-MA
YÄ-KYANG YÖN-KUM KUN-NÄ-KOR GA
DrA-YI PUNG-NI NAM-PAR JOM-MA

Homage! She 'mid wreath ablaze like

Eon-ending fire abiding!
Right stretched, left bent, joy surrounds you,
Troops of enemies destroying!

41
bskal pa'i KS1; bskal ba'i A; skal ba'i Q; bskal pa JLS4T; bskal ba DG.
42
tha ADJKQ S1S4; mtha' GLT.
43
phreng AGJKLQS1S4; 'phreng DT.
44
gnas (bzhugs J)
45
brkyang AJLS1S4T; (brgyad Q); brkyangs DGK.
46
bskum AJLS4T; bskums DGK.
47
dga' DGJ S1; dga'i KQ (kun ' khor dga' ba'i S4); dgas LT.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -80-

14. ཁོ་གཉྗེར་ཅན་མའི་སོལ་མ་ / Frowning Tārā

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ས་གཞིའི་ངོས་ལ་ཕྱག་གི།
། མཐིལ་གིས་བསྣུན་ཅིང་ཞབས་ཀིས་བརྡུང་མ།
། ཁོ་གཉྗེར་ཅན་མཛད་ཡི་གྗེ་ཧཱུཾ་གིས།
། རིམ་པ་བདུན་པོ་རྣམས་ནི་འགྗེམས་མ། །༡༤། །
phyag 'tshal sa gzhi'i ngos la phyag gi
mthil gyis bsnun cing zhabs kyis brdung48 ma
khro gnyer can49 mdzad yi ge hūṃ gis
rim pa bdun po rnams ni 'gems50 ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL SA-ZHI-i NGÖ-LA CH'Ak-G'I

T'IL-GY'I NÜN-CHING ZHAP-KYI DUNG-MA
Tr'O-NYER CHÄN-DZÄ YI-G'E HŪṂ-G'I
RIM-PA DÜN-PO-NAM-NI GEM-MA

Homage! She who strikes the ground with

Her palm, and with her foot beats it!
Scowling, with the letter HUM the
Seven levels she does conquer!

48
brdung ADGKLS1; brdungs S4; rdung JQT..
49
can mdzad (spyan mdzad K; dun mdzad Q; g.yo ba'i S4).
50
'gems ('gegs S4, 'gengs J).

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -81-

15. ཞི་བ་ཆྗེན་ཆྗེན་མོའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā the Great Peaceful One

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་བདྗེ་མ་དགྗེ་མ་ཞི་མ།
། མྱ་ངན་འདས་ཞི་སྤྱོད་ཡུལ་ཉིད་མ།
། ས་ྟཱ ཧཱ་ཨོཾ་དང་ཡང་དག་ལྡན་མ།
། སིག་པ་ཆྗེན་པོ་འཇོམས་པ་ཉིད་མ། །༡༥། །
phyag 'tshal bde ma dge ma zhi ma
mya ngan 'das zhi51 spyod yul nyid ma
svā hā oṃ dang yang dag ldan ma52
sdig pa chen po 'joms pa nyid ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL DE-MA GE-MA ZHI-MA

NYA-NGÄN-DÄ-ZHI CHÖ-YÜL-NYI-MA
SVĀHĀ OṂ-D'ANG YANG-D'AK DÄN-PÄ
DIk-PA CH'EN-PO JOM-PA-NYI-MA

Homage! Happy, virtuous, peaceful!

She whose field is peace, nirvana!
She endowed with OM and SVAHA,
Destroyer of the great evil!

51
zhi (shing S4).
52
ma JQS1S4+Skt, mas A; pas DGKLT.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -82-
16. ཆགས་པ་འཇོམས་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Destroyer of All Attachment

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཀུན་ནས་བསྐོར་རབ་དགའ་བའི།
། དགྲ་ཡི་ལུས་ནི་རབ་ཏུ་འགྗེམས་མ།
། ཡི་གྗེ་བཅུ་པའི་ངག་ནི་བཀོད་པའི།
། རིག་པ་ཧཱུཾ་ལས་སོལ་མ་ཉིད་མ། །༡༦། །

phyag 'tshal kun nas bskor rab53 dga' ba'i54

dgra yi lus55 ni rab tu56 'gems ma
yi ge bcu pa'i57 ngag ni bkod pa'i58
rig pa59 hūṃ las sgrol ma60 nyid ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL KÜN-NÄ-KOR RAB-GA-WÄi

DrA-YI LÜ-NI RAP-TU GEM-MA
YI-G'E CHU-PÄi NGAk-NI KÖ-PÄi
RIG-PA HŪṂ-LÄ DrÖL-MA-NYI-MA

Homage! She with joy surrounded,

Tearing foes' bodies asunder,
Frees with HUM and knowledge mantra,
Arrangement of the ten letters!

53
rab (bar S1).
54
ba'i ADGKLQS1S4; bas JT.
55
lus (dpung S4).
56
rab tu ADGLQS1S4T+Skt; rnam par JK.
57
bcu pa'i (bcu po'i T).
58
bkod pa'i ADGJKLQT; bkod pas S1S4.
59
rig pa (rig pa’i S1).
60
sgrol ma ADGJKQS1S4T; sgron ma L (= dīpa).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -83-
17. བདྗེ་བ་སྒྲུབ་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Accomplisher of All Bliss

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཏུ་རྗེ་ཞབས་ནི་བརྡབས་པས།
། ཧཱུཾ་གི་རྣམ་པའི་ས་བོན་ཉིད་མ།
། རི་རབ་མནྡ་ར་དང་འབིགས་བྗེད།
། འཇིག་རྗེན་གསུམ་རྣམས་གཡོ་བ་ཉིད་མ། །༡༧། །

phyag 'tshal tu re61 zhabs ni62 brdabs pas

hūṃ gi63 rnam pa'i sa bon nyid ma
ri rab man da ra64 dang 'bigs byed
'jig rten gsum rnams65 g.yo ba nyid ma

CH'Ak-TS’ÄL TURE ZHAP-NI DAP-PÄ

HŪṂ-G’I NAM-PÄi SA-B'ÖN-NYI-MA /
RI-RAB MÄNDARA-D'ANG Bik-J'E
JIK-TEN SUM-NAM YO-WA NYI-MA

Homage! TURE! With seed letter

Of the shape of syllable HUM!
By foot stamping shakes the three worlds,
Meru, Mandara, and Vindhya!

61
tu re JKQS4; tu re'i ADGLS1T.
62
ni (kyis S4).
63
gi ADGJKLQT; yig S1+Skt.
64
manda ra JQS1; man da ra DT; man dā ra AL; mandha ra GKS4.
65
gsum rnams (gsum po J).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -84-
18. རྣམ་རྒྱལ་མའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā the Victorious

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལྷ་ཡི་མཚོ་ཡི་རྣམ་པའི།
། རི་དྭགས་རགས་ཅན་ཕྱག་ན་བསྣམས་མ།
། ཏཱ་ར་གཉིས་བརོད་ཕཊ་ཀི་ཡི་གྗེས།
། དུག་རྣམས་མ་ལུས་པར་ནི་སྗེལ་མ། །༡༨། །

phyag 'tshal lha yi mtsho yi rnam pa'i

ri dwags rtags can phyag na bsnams66 ma
tā ra67 gnyis brjod phaṭ kyi yi ges
dug rnams ma lus par68 ni sel ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL LHA-YI TS'O-YI NAM-PÄi

RI-D'Ak TAk-CHÄN CH'Ak-NA NAM-MA
TĀRA NYI-JÖ PHÄṬ-KYI YI-G'E
D'Uk-NAM MA-LÜ-PAR-NI SEL-MA

Homage! Holding in her hand the

Hare-marked moon of deva-lake form!
With twice spoken TĀRA and PHAT,
Totally dispelling poison!

66
bsnams ADGJKLS4T; gnas QS1+Skt.
67
tā ra (tā re QT).
68
par ADGJLQS1T; pa KS4.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -85-
19. སྡུག་བསལ་བསྲྗེག་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Consumer of All Suffering

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལྷ་ཡི་ཚོགས་རྣམས་རྒྱལ་པོ།
། ལྷ་དང་མིའམ་ཅི་ཡིས་བསྗེན་མ།
། ཀུན་ནས་གོ་ཆ་དགའ་བའི་བརིད་ཀིས།
། རྩོད་དང་རི་ལམ་ངན་པ་སྗེལ་མ། །༡༩། །

phyag 'tshal lha yi tshogs rnams69 rgyal po

lha dang mi 'am ci yis bsten ma
kun nas go cha dga' ba'i brjid kyis
rtsod dang rmi lam ngan pa sel ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL LHA-YI TS'Ok-NAM GYÄL-PO

LHA-D'ANG MI-AM-CHI-YI TEN-MA
KÜN-NÄ G’O-CH’A GA-WÄi JI-KYI
TSÖ-D'ANG MI-LAM NGÄN-PA SEL-MA

Homage! She whom gods and their kings,

And the kinnaras do honor!
Armored in all joyful splendor,
She dispels bad dreams and conflicts!

69
rnams rgyal po AKLQT; kyi rgyal po JS1; rgyal po dang DGS4.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -86-

20. དངོས་གྲུབ་འབྱུང་བའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā Source of All Attainments

། ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཉི་མ་ཟླ་བ་རྒྱས་པའི།
། སྤྱན་གཉིས་པོ་ལ་འོད་རབ་གསལ་མ།
། ཧ་ར་གཉིས་བརོད་ཏུཏ་ྟཱ ར་ཡིས།
། ཤིན་ཏུ་དྲག་པོའི་རིམས་ནད་སྗེལ་མ། །༢༠། །
phyag 'tshal nyi ma zla ba rgyas pa'i
spyan gnyis po la 'od rab gsal ma
ha ra70 gnyis brjod tuttā ra71 yis
shin tu drag po'i rims nad72 sel ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL NYI-MA DA-WA GYÄ-PÄi

CHÄN-NYI-PO-LA WÖ RAP-SÄL-MA
HARA NYI-JÖ TUTTĀRA-YI
SHIN-TU Dr'AK-PÖi RIM-NÄ SEL-MA

Homage! She whose two eyes bright with

Radiance of sun and full moon!
With twice HARA and TUTTARE,
She dispels severe contagion!

70
ha ra (hā ra D; tā ra S4).
71
tuttā ra (tuttā rā J, tuttā re S1).
72
nad ADGJKL; ni QS1S4T.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -87-
21. ཡོངས་རོགས་བྗེད་པའི་སོལ་མ་ / Tārā the Perfecter

།ཕྱག་འཚལ་དྗེ་ཉིད་གསུམ་རྣམས་བཀོད་པས།
།ཞི་བའི་མཐུ་དང་ཡང་དག་ལྡན་མ།
།གདོན་དང་རོ་ལངས་གནོད་སིན་ཚོགས་རྣམས།
།འཇོམས་པ་ཏུ་རྗེ་རབ་མཆོག་ཉིད་མ། །༢༡། །

phyag 'tshal de nyid gsum rnams bkod pas73

zhi ba'i mthu dang yang dag ldan ma
gdon dang ro langs gnod sbyin tshogs rnams
'joms pa tu re74 rab mchog nyid ma

CH'Ak-TS'ÄL D'E-NYI SUM-NAM KÖ-PÄ

ZHI-WÄi T'U-D'ANG YANG-D'AK-DÄN-MA
DÖN-D’ANG RO-LANG NÖ-JIN TS'Ok-NAM
JOM-PA TURE RAP-CH'OG-NYI-MA

Homage! Full of liberating

Pow’r by the set of three natures!
Destroys hosts of spirits, yakshas,
And raised corpses! Supreme! TURE!

73
pas ADLS1S4T; pa'i GJQ.
74
tu re (tu re'i S1).
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -88-
The benefits of the praise in twenty-one homages
(22)

། རྩ་བའི་སགས་ཀི་བསོད་པ་འདི་དང་།
། ཕྱག་འཚལ་བ་ནི་ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་གཅིག།
། ལྷ་མོ་ལ་གུས་ཡང་དག་ལྡན་པའི།
། བོ་ལྡན་གང་གིས་རབ་དད་བརོད་དྗེ། །༢༢། །
rtsa ba'i sngags kyi75 bstod pa 'di dang
phyag 'tshal ba ni nyi shu rtsa gcig
lha mo la gus yang dag ldan pa'i76
blo ldan gang gis rab dad77 brjod de78

TSA-WÄi NGAk-KYI TÖ-PA DI-D’ANG

CH'Ak-TS’ÄL-WA-NI NYI-SHU-TSA-CHIk
LHA-MO-LA G'Ü YANG-D'AK DÄN-PÄi
LO-DÄN G'ANG-G'I RAP-D'Ä JÖ-D'E

These praises with the root mantras

And twenty-one prostrations,
Whoever is endowed with devotion for the goddess
And recites them with supreme faith,

75
kyi AGLT; kyis DGJK (G quotes the line twice).
76
pa'i ADLT; pas GJK.
77
dad GJLT; dang ADK.
78
de AK; pas DGJL; pa T.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -89-

(23)

།སྲོད་དང་ཐོ་རངས་ལངས་པར་བས་ནས།
།དྲན་པས་མི་འཇིགས་ཐམས་ཅད་རབ་སྗེར།
།སིག་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་རབ་ཏུ་ཞི་བ།
།ངན་འགྲོ་ཐམས་ཅད་འཇོམས་པ་ཉིད་དོ། །༢༣། །
srod dang tho rangs langs par byas nas
dran pas mi 'jigs thams cad rab ster
sdig pa thams cad rab tu zhi ba79
ngan 'gro thams cad 'joms pa nyid do80

SÖ-D'ANG T'O-RANG LANG-PAR J'Ä-NÄ

Dr'ÄN-PÄ MI-JIk T'AM-CHÄ RAP-TER
DIk-PA T'AM-CHÄ RAP-TU ZHI-WA
NGÄN-DrO T'AM-CHÄ JOM-PA-NYI-D'O

Remembering them at dawn upon waking and in the evenings,

Will be granted all fearlessness,
Will perfectly pacify all negativities,
And will eliminate all unfortunate migrations.

79
zhi ba ADJLT; zhi bas GK.
80
do ADGJLT (thob K).

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -90-

(24)

།རྒྱལ་བ་བྗེ་བ་ཕྲག་བདུན་རྣམས་ཀིས།
།མྱུར་དུ་དབང་ནི་བསྐུར་བར་འགྱུར་ལ།
།འདི་ལས་ཆྗེ་བ་ཉིད་ནི་ཐོབ་ཅིང་།
།སངས་རྒྱས་གོ་འཕང་མཐར་ཐུག་དྗེར་འགྲོ། །༢༤། །
rgyal ba bye ba phrag bdun rnams kyis
myur du dbang ni bskur bar 'gyur la
'di las81 che ba nyid ni thob82 cing
sangs rgyas go 'phang mthar thug der 'gro

GYÄL-WA J'E-WA-Tr'Ak-DÜN-NAM-KYI
NYUR-D'U WANG-NI KUR-WAR GYUR-LA
DI-LÄ CH'E-WA-NYI-NI T'OP-CHING
SANG-GYÄ G'O-P'ANG T'AR-T'UK D'ER-DrO

The multitudes of conquerors

Will quickly grant initiation:
Thus, endowed with this greatness,
One will eventually reach the state of a buddha.

81
las ADKLT; la GJ+Skt.
82
thob ADGKLT; 'thob J.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -91-
(25)

།དྗེ་ཡི་དུག་ནི་དྲག་པོ་ཆྗེན་པོ།
།བརན་གནས་པའམ་གཞན་ཡང་འགྲོ་བ།
།ཟོས་པ་དང་ནི་འཐུངས་པ་ཉིད་ཀང་།
།དྲན་པས་རབ་ཏུ་སྗེལ་བ་ཉིད་ཐོབ། །༢༥། །
de yi83 dug ni drag po chen po
brtan gnas pa 'am gzhan yang 'gro ba
zos pa dang ni 'thungs pa nyid kyang
dran pas rab tu sel ba nyid thob84

D'E-YI D'Uk-NI DrAK-PO CH'EN-PO

TÄN-NÄ-PA-AM ZHÄN-YANG DrO-WA
ZÖ-PA D'ANG-NI T’UNG-PA-NYI KYANG
DrÄN-PÄ RAP-TU SEL-WA-NYI T'OP

If affected by the most terrible poison,

Whether ingested, drunk, or from a living being,
Just by remembering
Will one be thoroughly cleansed.

83
de yi (de yis J).
84
thob ADGJLT; 'thob K.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -92-

(26)

།གདོན་དང་རིམས་དང་དུག་གིས་གཟིར་བའི།
།སྡུག་བསལ་ཚོགས་ནི་རྣམ་པར་སོང་སྗེ།
།སྗེམས་ཅན་གཞན་པ་རྣམས་ལ་ཡང་ངོ་།
།གཉིས་གསུམ་བདུན་དུ་མངོན་པར་བརོད་ན། །༢༦། །
gdon dang rims dang dug gis gzir ba'i
sdug bsngal tshogs ni rnam par spong85 ste
sems can gzhan pa rnams la yang ngo
gnyis gsum bdun du mngon par brjod na

DÖN-D'ANG RIM-D'ANG D'Uk-G'I ZIR-WÄi

DUk-NGÄL TS'Ok-NI NAM-PAR PONG-TE
SEM-CHÄN ZHÄN-PA-NAM-LA YANG-NGO
NYI-SUM-DÜN-D'U NGÖN-PAR JÖ-NA

If this prayer is recited two, three, or seven times,

It will pacify all the sufferings of torments
Caused by spirits, fevers, and poisons,
And by other beings as well.

85
spong ADGT; spang L; spangs JK.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -93-

(27)

།བུ་འདོད་པས་ནི་བུ་ཐོབ་འགྱུར་ཞིང་།
།ནོར་འདོད་པས་ནི་ནོར་རྣམས་ཉིད་ཐོབ།
།འདོད་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཐོབ་པར་འགྱུར་ཏྗེ།
།བགྗེགས་རྣམས་མྗེད་ཅིང་སོ་སོར་འཇོམས་འགྱུར། །༢༧། ། ༈
bu 'dod pas ni bu thob 'gyur zhing
nor 'dod pas ni nor rnams nyid thob86
'dod pa thams cad thob par 'gyur te87
bgegs rnams med cing so sor 'joms 'gyur88

B'U-DÖ-PÄ-NI B'U T'OP-GYUR-ZHING

NOR-DÖ-PÄ-NI NOR-NAM-NYI T'OP
DÖ-PA T'AM-CHÄ T’OP-PAR GYUR-TE
GEk-NAM ME-CHING SO-SOR JOM-GYUR

If you wish for a child, you will get a child;

If you wish for wealth, you will receive wealth.
All your wishes will be fulfilled
And all obstacles pacified.

Colophon compiled from several Tibetan texts

The speech of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the praise of the Lady Ārya-Tārā
by the Complete and Perfect Buddha (MahāVairocana89), the Praise in Twenty-
one Homages, from the Tantra teaching all the rites of Tārā, is complete.90
It was translated [into Tibetan (ed.)] by the translator Nyän, of the lineage of
Master Ārya-Nāgārjuna, and revised by the great Jetsün Dr'ak-pa Gyäl-ts'än.91

86
thob ADGT; 'thob JKL.
87
te ADGJLT; la K.
88
In communal recitation, ཅིག / cig / CHIk is often added to the last line.
89
JK
90
L(T)
91
J
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -94-
3. Comparing the descriptions of the Twenty-One Tārās from
the traditions of Sūryagupta and of Nāgārjuna-Atisha
Preface
The section on the page 97, The thangka and the tradition, and the descriptions
of the Twenty-One Tārās were written by Robert Beer. The thangka was
painted by Dorje Tamang. I copied these descriptions and images from the site
tibetanart.com. I replaced the image of the twenty-first Tārā by one painted by
Angeli Lhadripa Shkonda, because of the colours not matching the description. I
retouched digitally pictures 1, 8, 10, 12 and 16, as distortions had been
introduced during the process of photographing, digitalizing, posting on the
web and downloading. An example of before and after the retouching:

The Sanskrit names of the twenty-one Tārās and the line drawings were copied
from In Praise of Tārā, Songs to the Saviouress (Martin Willson, Wisdom
Publications, Somerville MA, USA, 1996), an excellent source of much
information on Tārā, unfortunately out of print since a long time.
The section Identifying The Twenty-Three Deities Of This Thangka, the Tibetan
phonetics of the praises and a quote about the ninth Tārā, page 96 and this
preface were written, or added (the quote), by me.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -95-

3.a – Globally comparing the images of the Twenty-One
Tārās of the Sūryagupta and the Nāgārjuna-Atisha traditions

The shapes of the twenty-one Tārās according to the two traditions

In the Sūryagupta tradition, the twenty-one Tārās have a variety of shapes and
colours. See below.

In the Nāgārjuna-Atisha tradition, all Tārās have the same posture: one face
and two hands, the left of which is in the gesture of giving refuge and holds the
stem of an utpala (a blue lotus) flower. Each Tārā’s right hand holds a vase that
has the same colour as the Tārā holding it. However, there is one sub-tradition
where the seventh Tārā has her left leg extended and the right leg bent inward.

The Tārās are mostly peaceful and smile enchantingly. They have various
colours, wear silken garments and are adorned with a variety of jewels. Most of
them are seated on moon disc seats. They meditate with their legs in the
bodhisattva position, which is to say, the right leg slightly extended and the left
bent inward.

The colours of the twenty-one Tārās according to the traditions

When the twenty-one Tārās surround a central Tārā, the central Tārā is always
green. Within the Sūryagupta tradition, there is a sub-tradition where the ninth
Tārā is green Khadiravaṇī Tārā. In another sub-tradition, the ninth Tārā is red
Varada Tārā.
In the Nāgārjuna-Atisha tradition, there are five different colours.
The colours of both traditions are shown in this table:
Sūryagupta Nāgārjuna-Atisha
red 6 (or 5) (# 1,6,9,10,13,16) 7 (# 1,2,6,10,11,13,16)
white 5 (# 2,15,18,19,21) 5 (# 9,15,18,19,21)
yellow 5 (# 3,4,5,8,12) 3 (# 3,4,8)
black 3 (# 7,11,14) 2 (# 7,14,)
orange 2 (# 17,20) 4 (# 5,12,17,20)
green 0 (or 1: # 9) 0

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -96-

3.b - The names and descriptions of the Twenty-One Tārās
according to the tradition of Sūryagupta
The thangka and the tradition
This rare thangka depicts the complete assembly of the twenty-one Tārās
according to the tradition of the early Indian Buddhist master, Sūryagupta.
There are essentially three main traditions that depict the twenty-one Tārās,
the first and most common being the Nāgārjuna or Atisha tradition, where the
Twenty-One Tārās are virtually identical in their postures and appearance,
except for their body colours and the colours of the vases they each holds in
their lowered right hands. The second is the Longchenpa tradition, where all
the Tārās are likewise similar in their postures and appearance, except for their
body colours, their facial expressions, and the specific attributes they bear
upon the lotus flowers that each Tārā holds in her left hand. And the third is
the Sūryagupta tradition, as represented here.
In the Sūryagupta tradition each of the Twenty-One Tārās appears in her own
unique iconographic form, colour and posture, and because of this each of the
Sūryagupta Tārā's were often painted separately as single-deity thangkas. So it
is rare to find these twenty-one Tārās assembled together in a composition
such as this. Precise textual descriptions are given for each Tārā in the
Sūryagupta tradition, and these details are accurately depicted in this
composition. These details include the various colours of each goddess's lotus-
throne, their facial expressions, and their specific and often obscure hand-
gestures or mudras.
According to the great Jonangpa master Tārānatha (1575-1634), Sūryagupta
(Tib. Nyi-ma sbas) was a scholar and Tārā-siddha from Kashmir, and a
contemporary of the two great 7th and 8th century Indian masters Candrakirti
and Candragomin. Sūryagupta upheld the philosophical doctrines of Nāgārjuna
and Asanga, and was renowned for having been a great Tārā practitioner in
seven of his previous lifetimes. In Kashmir and Magadha he established twelve
Buddhist viharas, employing yaksha-spirits to supply the building materials, and
protecting practitioners from the eight great fears. From Nāgamitra he received
the empowerment of Tārā, and later became renowned as one fully skilled in
the Hundred and Eight Tantras of Tārā. He is said to have composed thirteen
texts, such as the Tārā mandala ritual and other Tārā sādhanas that are now in

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -97-

the Tibetan Tengyur. Sūryagupta's principal disciple was Sarvajñamitra, who
was likewise a great Tārā practitioner and lineage holder.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -98-

Identifying The Twenty-Three Deities Of The Thangka
The central Green Tārā
Tārā of the Acacia Forest; Skt. Khadiravaṇī-Tārā; Tib. seng-lden-nags-kyi sgrol-ma.
The surrounding twenty-one Tārās
1. Tārā the heroine; Skt. Pravīra-Tārā; Tib. rab-tu dpa'-ba'i sgrol-ma.
2. Tārā white as the autumn moon; Skt. Candra-kānti-Tārā; Tib. dkar-mo zla-mdangs-kyi
sgrol-ma.
3. Golden-coloured Tārā; Skt. Kanaka-varṇa-Tārā; Tib. gser-mdog-can-gyi sgrol-ma.
4. Tārā with the victorious crown protuberance; Skt. Uṣṇīṣa-vijaya-Tārā; Tib. gtsug-tor
rnam-par-rgyal-ba'i sgrol-ma.
5. Tārā proclaiming the sound of hūṃ; Skt. Hūṃ-svara-nādinī-Tārā; Tib. hūṃ-sgra sgrog-
pa'i sgrol-ma.
6. Tārā victorious over the three worlds; Skt. Trailokya-vijaya-Tārā; Tib. 'jig-rten gsum-las
rnam-par-rgyal-ba'i sgrol-ma.
7. Tārā who crushes all adversaries; Skt. Vādi-pramardaka-Tārā; Tib. rgol-ba 'joms-pa'i
sgrol-ma.
8. Tārā who bestows supreme powers / Tārā who crushes all maras; Skt. Māra-
sūdana vaśitôttama-da-Tārā; Tib. dbang-mchog ster-ba'i sgrol-ma.
9. Tārā who grants boons; Skt. Vara-da-Tārā; Tib. mchog-stsol-ba'i sgrol-ma.
10. Tārā who dispels all sorrows; Skt. Śoka-vinodana-Tārā; Tib. mya-ngan sel-ba'i sgrol-ma.
11. Tārā who summons all beings / Dispeller of misfortune; Skt. Jagad-vaśī vipan-
nirbarhaṇa-Tārā; Tib. 'gro-ba 'gugs-pa'i sgrol-ma.
12. Tārā of auspicious light; Skt. Maṅgalâloka-Tārā; Tib. bkra-shis snang-ba'i sgrol-ma.
13. Tārā the ripener; Skt. Paripācaka-Tārā; Tib. yongs-su-smin-par mdzad-pa'i sgrol-ma.
14. Frowning Tārā; Skt. Bhṛkuṭī-Tārā; Tib. khro-gnyer can-ma'i sgrol-ma.
15. Great peaceful Tārā; Skt. Mahā-śānti-Tārā; Tib. zhi-ba chen-mo'i sgrol-ma.
16. Tārā, destroyer of all attachment; Skt. Rāga-niṣūdana-Tārā; Tib. chags-pa 'joms-pa'i
sgrol-ma.
17. Tārā, accomplisher of bliss; Skt. Sukha-sādhana-Tārā; Tib. bde-ba sgrub-pa'i sgrol-ma.
18. Victorious Tārā; Skt. Vijaya-Tārā; Tib. rnam-rgyal-ma'i sgrol-ma.
19. Tārā, consumer of suffering; Skt. Duḥkha-dahana-Tārā; Tib. sdug-bsngal bsreg-pa'i
sgrol-ma.
20. Tārā, source of attainments; Skt. Siddhi-saṃbhava-Tārā; Tib. dngos-grub 'byung-ba'i
sgrol-ma.
21. Tārā, the perfecter; Skt. Paripūraṇa-Tārā; Tib. yongs-rdzogs byed-pa'i sgrol-ma.
The protecting deity
PL – Glorious Goddess; Skt. Shri Devi (śrī devī); Tib. Palden Lhamo (dpal ldan lha mo).

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -99-

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -100-
The twenty-one Tārās, descriptions, images and praises

-1- Pravīra-Tārā, or "Tārā the Heroine", is the first of the twenty-one Tārās,
and in this thangka she is depicted just to the left of Green Tārā's lotus seat.
Pravīra Tārā is described as 'emanating like a blazing mass of fire' as she sits
upon her lotus within a fiery triangular dharmodaya. She may also be described
as 'seated in the midst of space' upon a white moon disc and a yellow lotus,
which is how she is represented here.

Homage! Tāra, swift, heroic! / Eyes like lightning instantaneous!

Sprung from op’ning stamens of the / Lord of three world’s tear-born lotus!

Pravīra Tārā is peaceful and red in colour, with one face, two eyes, and eight
arms. She sits in vajra-posture upon a moon disc and a yellow lotus, with the
full moon as her backrest. With her first pair of right and left hands raised or
crossed above her head she 'proclaims the dharma' by making the two-handed
'Great Bliss Gesture' (Skt. mahasukha-mudra) as she holds a golden vajra and a
bell. With her second pair of right and left hands she holds the drawn string of
a bow in front of her heart, with its arrow aimed at the heart of an enemy.
With her third right hand she holds aloft a golden wheel, and with her third left
hand a white conch shell at the level of her navel. With her fourth right hand
she wields a fiery wisdom sword, and with her fourth left hand a rope-noose.
She is adorned with divine silk and jewel ornaments; crowned by white
Vairocana Buddha, and her function is to swiftly overcome all hostile forces and
accomplish various enlightened activities.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -101-

-2- Chandrakanti Tārā, or "Tārā white like the Autumn Moon", is the second
of the twenty-one Tārās, and she is depicted directly above Pravira Tārā (1).
Her name is derived from the moonstone (Skt. chandrakanta), the radiant
gemstone that represents the moon (chanda) as one of the nine planets
(navagraha). Chandrakanti is often represented standing upright in samapada
posture, but here she is shown seated in vajra-posture upon a white moon disc
and a pink lotus.

Homage! She whose face combines a / Hundred autumn moons at fullest!

Blazing with light rays resplendent / As a thousand star collection!

Chandrakanti is peaceful and white in colour, with three two-eyed faces, and
twelve arms. Her central face is white, her right face is blue, and her left face is
golden-yellow like the gold from the Jambu River. Her three faces represent the
three kayas or 'Divine bodies of a Buddha', and her twelve arms represent the
'twelve links' in the chain of dependent arising.
With her first pair of right and left hands joined at the level of her hips, she
makes the dhyana-mudra of contemplation or meditation. With her lowered
second pair of hands she holds a garland of flowers (right), and a dharma text
(left). With her third pair of hands a golden vajra (right), and a golden treasure
vase (left). With her fourth pair of hands a blazing jewel (right), and a bell (left).
With her fifth pair of hands a golden wheel (right), and a blue utpala lotus
flower (left). With her sixth pair of hands she holds aloft a khatvanga staff
(right), and a golden flask of consecrated water (left). She is adorned with
divine silks and jewel ornaments; crowned by red Amitābha Buddha, and her
function is to pacify contagious diseases, bad dreams or nightmares, and the
causes of untimely death.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -102-

-3- Kanaka-varṇa-Tārā, or "Golden-coloured Tārā", is the third of the twenty-
one Tārās, and she appears upon a twisting rainbow directly above
Chandrakanti Tārā (2). She is golden-yellow in colour, with one face, two eyes,
and ten arms – which symbolize the ten paramitas or perfections. She sits in
vajra-posture upon a golden sun disc and a multicolored lotus, and is adorned
with the divine silk and jewel ornaments.

Homage! Golden-blue one, lotus

Water born, in hand adorned!
Giving, effort, calm, austerities,
Patience, meditation her sphere!

With her first pair of right and left hands she holds a rosary (right), and a white
silk ribbon (left), at the level of her heart. With her second pair she wields aloft
a wisdom sword (right), and a rope-noose (left). With her third pair she holds
an arrow that pierces all defilements (right), and a blue utpala lotus (left). With
her fourth pair she holds a vajra (right), and a bell (left). With her fifth and
lower pair of hands she holds a jewel-topped club (right), and a bow (left). She
is crowned by red Amitābha Buddha, and her function is for prolonging life,
enhancing enlightened attributes, and increasing prosperity.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -103-

-4- Ushnishavijaya Tārā, or "Tārā with the Victorious (vijaya) Crown
Protuberance (ushnisha) of the Tathagatas", is the fourth of the twenty-one
Tārās, and she appears upon a billowing cloud directly above Kanakavarna Tārā
(3) in the top right corner.

Homage! Crown of tathagatas,

Actions triumph without limit,
Relied on by conquerors’ children
Having reached ev’ry perfection!

She is golden-yellow in colour, with one face, two eyes, four arms, and she sits
with her legs loosely crossed in sattva-paryanka posture upon a white moon
disc and a yellow lotus. Her first right hand is held at the level of her knee in the
boon-granting varada-mudra of supreme generosity, whilst her second right
hand holds aloft a rosary. With her first left hand she holds aloft a golden flask
of consecrated water, and with her second left hand a golden club with a
blazing jewel at its top. She is adorned with the divine silk and jewel
ornaments, and her four arms symbolize her victory over the four maras. She is
crowned by green Amoghasiddhi Buddha, and her main functions are to
neutralize all poisons, overcome the lord of death, and to confer health and
longevity.

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-5- Humsvaranadini Tārā, or "Tārā Proclaiming the Sound of HUM", is the fifth
of the twenty-one Tārās, and she appears upon a billowing cloud directly to the
right of Ushnishavijaya Tārā (4).

Homage! Filling with TUTTARE

HUM, desire, direction, and space!
Trampling with her feet the seven worlds,
Able to draw forth all beings!

She is golden-yellow in colour, with one face, two eyes, and two arms. She is
adorned with the divine silk and jewel ornaments, and sits in sattva-paryanka
posture upon a golden sun disc and a pink lotus. Her right hand is held at the
level of her knee in the abhaya-mudra of protection or dispelling fear. Her left
hand is held before her heart in the gesture of giving refuge, and with her
thumb and second finger she holds the stem of a golden lotus that blossoms at
the level of her left ear. She is crowned by red Amitābha, and her main
functions are subjugation and to liberate from all fears.

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-6- Trailokyavijaya Tārā, or "Tārā Victorious over the Three Worlds", is the
sixth of the twenty-one Tārās, and she appears upon a billowing cloud directly
to the right of Humsvaranadini Tārā (5).

Homage! Worshipped by the all-lords, / Shakra, Agni, Brahma, Marut!

Honored by the hosts of spirits, / Corpse-raisers, gandharvas, yakshas!

She is ruby-red in colour, with one face, two eyes, and four arms. She is
adorned with the divine silk and jewel ornaments, and she sits in sattva-
paryanka posture upon a golden sun disc and either a red or yellow lotus. Her
golden sun seat indicates that she free from all illusions regarding the destinies
of all sentient beings. With her first right hand she holds aloft a golden vajra,
and with her second right hand a blazing wisdom sword. With her first left hand
held aloft she makes the threatening tarjani gesture with her raised index
finger, although in this painting she is shown making the abhaya-mudra of
fearlessness. With her second left hand she holds a rope-snare in front of her
heart, with her index finger raised in the threatening tarjani gesture. She is
crowned by red Amitābha, and her main function is to purify the negativities of
all elemental forces throughout the ten directions.

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-7- Vadipramardani Tārā, or "Tārā Who Crushes All adversaries", is the
seventh of the twenty-one Tārās, and she is depicted upon a billowing cloud
directly to the right of Trailokyavijaya Tārā (6) in the top right corner. She is
wrathful in appearance with upward-streaming hair, and is often show standing
in pratyalidha posture and wearing a tiger-skin loincloth. But here she is
depicted sitting in sattva-paryanka posture, like the three other cloud-borne
Tārās that appear in the top row of this painting.

Homage! With her TRAD and PHAT sounds / Destroying foes’ magic diagrams!
Her feet pressing, left out, right in, / Blazing in a raging fire-blaze!

Vadipramardani Tārā is fierce and black in colour, with a wrathful expression,

two piercing eyes, four arms, and she sits in sattva-paryanka posture upon a
golden sun disc and either a yellow or red lotus. Her body is adorned with
divine silk and jewel ornaments, and her tawny hair-locks are adorned with
snakes and blaze upward like fire. With her first right hand she holds a golden
wheel, and with her second right hand she wields a blazing iron sword. With
her first left hand she holds a rope-noose at the level of her navel, and with her
second left hand she makes the threatening tarjani gesture with her raised
index finger, although in this painting she is shown making the abhaya-mudra
of protection. She is crowned by yellow Ratnasambhava Buddha, and her main
functions are to triumph over all hostilities, and to transfer the consciousness
of her devotees to the Pure Land of Akanistha at the time of their death.

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-8- Vashitottamada Tārā, the "Tārā who Bestows Supreme Powers", is also
known as Marasudhana Tārā, or the 'Tārā who Crushes all maras", and she is
depicted upon a twisting rainbow directly below Vadipramardani Tārā (7). She
sits in sattva-paryanka posture upon a makara or 'water-monster' above a
golden sun disc (or a white moon disc) and a red lotus. The makara, with its
ferocious features and scrolling golden tail, symbolizes her ability to subdue all
evil or demonic forces.

Homage! TURE, very dreadful! / Destroyer of Mara’s champion(s)!

She with frowning lotus visage, / Who is slayer of all enemies!

Vashitottamada Tārā is golden-yellow in colour, with one face, two eyes, four
arms, and a wrathful frown. With her first right hand she holds a branch of an
ashoka tree in front of her heart, and with her second right hand (in boon-
granting gesture) she holds a radiant jewel. With her first left hand she holds a
blue utpala lotus, which symbolizes her purity or freedom from all defilements.
With her second left hand she holds a golden flask, with which she bestows
supreme powers and blessings upon all beings. She is adorned with the divine
silk and jewel ornaments, and crowned by green Amoghasiddhi Buddha. Her
main function is to destroy the obstructions (maras) to enlightenment and
overcome wrong views. Her rites also pertain to the 'completion stage' (Tib.
rdzogs-rim) of tantric meditation practice.

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-9- In the Sūryagupta tradition Khadiravani Tārā frequently occurs as the
ninth of the twenty-one Tārās, although Varada Tārā (described below) may
also occupy this ninth position. In this particular thangka the main central
figure of Green Tārā as Khadiravani Tārā appears as the ninth of the twenty-
one Tārās.
[Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, at the Himalayan Yogic Institute, Nepal, during
an initiation of the 21 Tārās according to the Sūryagupta tradition on May 28,
1987: “The ninth Tārā has two traditions. Here Tārā Granting the Sublime
Realization is given. The other one is Tārā from the [Acacia] Forest.” (Ed.)]
The Sanskrit term khadiravani refers to a grove (vana) of fragrant acacia
(khadira) trees, and this form of Green Tārā is usually depicted with her two
attendant deities, peaceful yellow Marici to her right, and fierce blue-black
Ekajata to her left. Here, Khadiravani Tārā is depicted in the traditional form
and posture of Green Tārā, with the golden disc of the sun forming her backrest
and with her two hands holding the stems of blue utpala lotuses.

Khadiravaṇī-Tārā Varada Tārā

Homage! At the heart her fingers, / Adorn her with Three Jewel mudra!
Light-ray masses all excited! / All directions’ wheels adorn her!

Varada Tārā, the "Tārā Who Grants Boons", is the ninth of the twenty-one
Tārās, and she is described as follows:
Varada Tārā sits in vajra-paryanka or sattva-paryanka posture upon a white
moon disc and a red lotus. She is peaceful and red in colour, with one face, two

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -109-

eyes, and four arms, and adorned with the divine silk and jewel ornaments.
Like Pravira Tārā, the first of the twenty-one Tārās, she holds a vajra and bell
with her first pair of right and left hands joined above her crown in the gesture
of 'Great Bliss'. With her extended second right hand she makes the mudra
known as 'Snapping the fingers in the gesture of dance'. With her second left
hand she holds a fruit-bearing branch of an ashoka tree, from the leaves of
which fall a 'rain of jewels' that satisfy the desires of all beings. She is crowned
with green Amoghasiddhi Buddha, and her main function concerns rituals of
consecration.

-10- Shokavinodana Tārā, the "Tārā who Dispels all Sorrows", is the tenth of
the twenty-one Tārās, and she appears on the horizon directly below
Vashitottamada Tārā (8). She sits in sattva-paryanka posture upon a white
moon disc and a red lotus, and is adorned with the divine silk and jewel
ornaments. She is beautiful, peaceful, and red like ruby or coral, with one face,
two eyes, and four arms.

Homage! She so joyous, radiant, / Crown emitting garlands of light!

Mirthful, laughing with TUTTARE, / Subjugating maras, devas!

With her first pair of right and left hands joined together at her crown, she
makes the palms-folded gesture of 'Great Joy' (Skt. mahamudita-mudra). With
her second right hand she wields aloft a blazing sword, and with her second left
hand she holds a branch of an ashoka tree that bears red flowers. She is
crowned by green Amoghasiddhi, her function is to dispel sorrow, and her rites
are for entering the mandala.

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-11- Jagadvasi Tārā, the "Tārā who Summons all Beings", is also known as
Apadanasini, the 'Dispeller of misfortune', or as Vipannirbarhana. As the
eleventh of the twenty-one Tārās, she appears directly below Shokavinodana
Tārā (10).

Homage! She able to summon / All earth-guardians’ assembly!

Shaking, frowning, with her HUM sign / Saving from every misfortune!

Jagadvasi Tārā sits in alidha posture upon a golden sun disc and a red lotus,
with her right foot slightly extended. She is fierce and black 'like the colour of
darkness', with one face, two piercing eyes, and two arms. With her raised right
hand she holds an iron hook, with which she 'summons the eight great planets
from the eight directions'. With her left hand she may either hold another iron
hook that 'dispels misfortune', or a 'magical noose', or both a hook and a noose
as twin attributes of subjugation. But in this painting she is shown holding only
a magical rope-snare in front of her heart, with her index finger raised in the
threatening tarjani gesture. She is crowned by yellow Ratnasambhava, and
adorned with the divine silk and jewel ornaments. Her main function is to
liberate from hunger, thirst and poverty, and to increase the enjoyment of all
being.

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-12- Mangalaloka or Mangalavabhasa Tārā, the "Tārā of Auspicious Light", is
also known as the 'Granter of Prosperity', and as the twelfth of the twenty-one
Tārās she appears directly below Jagadvasi Tārā (11).

Homage! Crown adorned with crescent / Moon, all ornaments most shining!
Amitabha in her hair-knot / Sending out much light eternal!

Mangalavabhasa Tārā sits in vajra-posture upon a white moon disc and a

multicolored lotus. She is peaceful and golden-yellow in colour, with one face,
two eyes, and eight arms. She is adorned with the divine silk and jewel
ornaments, and a white crescent moon (not shown) adorns her crown. With
her first right hand she holds an iron trident before her breast, and with her
first left hand she presses a radiant jewel to her heart. With each of her second
right and left hands she wields aloft two identical iron hooks. With her third
pair of right and left hands she holds a vajra and a club; and with her fourth
pair a sword and a golden flask. She is crowned by red Amitābha, and her main
function is to grant auspicious aspirations throughout all space and time, and
her rites pertain to the sacrificial fire-offering or homa ritual.

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-13- Paripacaka Tārā, or "Tārā the Ripener", is the thirteenth of the twenty-
one Tārās, and she appears directly below Mangalavabhasa Tārā (12). In this
thangka Paripachaka Tārā appears as one of the two extremely wrathful
aspects of Tārā that occupy the bottom corners of this painting, both of whom
abide within a blazing mass of awareness fire.

Homage! She ’mid wreath ablaze like / Eon-ending fire abiding!

Right stretched, left bent, joy surrounds you, / Troops of enemies destroying!

Above a landscape of dark clouds and sharp rock peaks, Paripacaka Tārā stands
upon a golden sun disc and a red lotus in striding alidha posture, with her left
leg bent and her right leg extended. She is extremely fierce and wrathful, ruby-
red in colour, with four arms, one face, and two round and bloodshot eyes. The
tawny locks of her matted hair stream upwards, and the intense radiance of
her powerful body emanates as the blazing mass of fire within which she
abides. Her face bears a terrible frowning expression, with trembling eyebrows
and cruel lips, which are bared to reveal her four sharp canine teeth and
twisting tongue. Her naked body is adorned with ornaments of gold and human
bone, and she wears a billowing scarf of green silk. With her first right hand she
wields aloft an iron sword, and with her first left hand she holds a golden
wheel.
With her second pair of right and left hands she holds the drawn string of a
bow in front of her heart, with its arrow aimed at the heart an enemy. She is
crowned by red Amitābha, and her main function is to subdue all hindrances
and impediments.
Paripacaka Tārā may also be represented in a less ferocious or 'semi-wrathful'
form, where she is not naked, wears no bone ornaments, and is adorned with
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -113-
the traditional divine silks and jewel ornaments. She may also occasionally be
represented with three eyes, with her hair bound up into a topknot, and with
her arrow and bow held separately in her extended right and left hands.

-14- Bhrikuti Tārā, or "Frowning Tārā", is also known as Calad-Bhrikuti Tārā, or

"Shaking Frowning Tārā", and as the second extremely wrathful aspect of Tārā
depicted in this thangka, she appears amidst a blazing mass of wisdom-
awareness fire in the bottom left corner.

Homage! She who strikes the ground with / Her palm, and with her foot beats
it! / Scowling, with the letter HUM the / Seven levels she does conquer!

Bhrikuti Tārā stands in striding alidha posture with her right leg extended, and
with each of her feet trampling upon a human corpse that crouches upon the
golden sun disc of her orange lotus throne. Her body is black and terrible, with
six arms, and three wrathful faces - each of which has three round, angry and
piercing eyes. Her tawny and matted hair-locks stream upwards against the
blazing mass of fire within which she abides, with the jagged rocks of the lower
landscape appearing behind her. Her principal face is black, her right face
white, and her left face red. Each of her faces has an angry frowning
expression, with trembling eyebrows and contracted lips, which are bared to
reveal her four white canine teeth and twisting red tongue. Each of her faces is
adorned with a five-skull crown, and human entrails hang from the mouth of
her principal face.

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Bhrikuti Tārā's powerful body is adorned with ornaments of gold and bone, a
garland of fifty severed heads, a tiger-skin loincloth, and a long serpent that
forms her sacred thread. As an upper garment she wears a shawl of flayed
human skin, the arms of which are knotted across her shoulders, with the head
and legs hanging behind her back. With her first pair of right and left hands she
holds an iron sword and a skull-cup filled with human blood. With her second
pair an iron hook and a rope-noose, and with her third pair a skull-topped club
and the yellow four-faced head of Brahma. She is crowned by Amoghasiddhi,
her function is to destroy all harmful thoughts with her frown, and her rites
pertain to the protection circle.

-15- Mahashanti Tārā, the "Great Peaceful Tārā", is also known as Kalyanada
Tārā, the "Giver of Good", and as the fifteenth of the twenty-one Tārās she
appears directly above Bhrikuti Tārā (14) and below Pravita Tārā (1).

Homage! Happy, virtuous, peaceful! / She whose field is peace, nirvana!

She endowed with OM and SVAHA, / Destroyer of the great evil!

Mahashanti Tārā is peaceful and white in colour, with one face, two eyes, and
six arms. She sits in vajra-posture upon a white moon disc and a white or pink
lotus, and is adorned with the divine silk and jewel ornaments. With her first
right hand she holds a rosary in front of her heart; with her second right hand
she makes the boon-granting varada-mudra, and with her third right hand she
holds a vajra-topped golden club. With her first left hand, which rests upon her
lap in the dhyana-mudra of meditation, she holds the open blossom of a blue
utpala lotus. With her second left hand she holds a golden flask of consecrated

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -115-

water, and with her third left hand she holds the stem of a blue utpala lotus
that bears a text upon its open petals. She is crowned by red Amitābha, her
main function is to purify all mental and emotional defilements that propel
beings towards the lower realms, and her rites pertain to external cleansing or
purification.

-16- Raganisudana Tārā, the "Destroyer of All Attachments", is the sixteenth

of the twenty-one Tārās, and she appears directly to the right of Mahashanti
Tārā (# 15).

Homage! She with joy surrounded,

Tearing foes’ bodies asunder,
Frees with HUM and knowledge mantra,
Arrangement of the ten letters!

Raganisudana Tārā is beautiful but slightly wrathful in appearance, with a coral-

red complexion, one face, three piercing eyes, and two arms. With her right
knee raised she sits in sattva-paryanka upon a golden sun disc and an orange
lotus, and is adorned with the divine silk and jewel ornaments. With her right
hand she holds an iron trident in front of her heart, which is described as
piercing the body of an enemy. With her left hand she holds aloft a tree that
bears both fruit and flowers, with her raised index finger making the
threatening tarjani gesture. She is crowned by blue Akshobya Buddha, and her
main function is to increase and cultivation discriminating awareness.

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-17- Sukhasadhana Tārā, the "Accomplisher of Bliss", is the seventeenth of
the twenty-one Tārās, and she appears directly to the right of Raganisudana
Tārā (# 16).

Homage! TURE! With seed letter

Of the shape of syllable HUM!
By foot stamping shakes the three worlds,
Meru, Mandara, and Vindhya!

Sukhasadhana Tārā is peaceful and orange in complexion, with one face, two
eyes, and two arms. With her right knee slightly raised she sits in sattva-
paryanka posture upon a golden sun disc and a white lotus. She is adorned with
the divine silk and jewel ornaments, and with her two hands she holds the
white disk of a full moon in front of her heart. She is crowned by green
Amoghasiddhi Buddha, and her function is for ensnaring thieves, enemies and
hostile forces.

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-18- Vijaya Tārā, or "Victorious Tārā", is the eighteenth of the twenty-one
Tārās, and she appears directly below Sukhasadhana Tārā (17).

Homage! Holding in her hand the

Hare-marked moon of deva-lake form!
With twice spoken TĀRA and PHAT,
Totally dispelling poison!
Vijaya Tārā is peaceful and white in colour, with one face, two eyes, and four
arms. She sits in sattva-paryanka posture upon a goose with 'fine wings', a
white moon disc and a white lotus. With her first pair of right and left hands
joined together on the crown of her head in the 'gesture of joy' (mudita-
mudra), she holds aloft two identical iron hooks. With her second right hand
resting upon her knee she makes the boon-granting varada-mudra, and with
her second left hand she holds the stem of a blue utpala lotus that supports a
book on its open petals. She is adorned with the divine silk and jewel
ornaments, crowned by Amitābha, and her main function is to cure snakebites
and naga-related diseases such as leprosy.

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-19- Duhkhadahana Tārā, the "Consumer of Suffering", is the nineteenth of
the twenty-one Tārās, and she appears directly to the left of Vijaya Tārā (18).

Homage! She whom gods and their kings,

And the kinnaras do honor!
Armored in all joyful splendor,
She dispels bad dreams and conflicts!

Duhkhadahana Tārā is peaceful and white in colour, with one face, two eyes,
and two arms. With her left foot slightly lowered she sits in ardha-paryanka
posture upon a golden sun disc and a white lotus. With her two hands she
holds a triangular brazier in front of her heart. She is adorned with the divine
silk and jewel ornaments, crowned by white Vairocana Buddha, and her main
function is for pacifying dreams and liberating beings from imprisonment or
captivity.

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-20- Siddhisambhava Tārā, the "Source of Attainments", is the twentieth of
the twenty-one Tārās, and she appears in the sky directly below
Humsvaranadini Tārā (5).

Homage! She whose two eyes bright with

Radiance of sun and full moon!
With twice HARA and TUTTARE,
She dispels severe contagion!

Siddhisambhava Tārā is peaceful and orange in colour, with one face, two eyes,
and two arms. She sits in sattva-paryanka posture upon a white moon disc and
a white or red lotus. She is described as holding a golden vase in front of her
heart with both of her hands, which grants all attainments and pacifies all
diseases. But here she is shown holding a jewel-topped golden vase in her right
hand, while with her left hand resting upon her knee in varada-mudra she
holds a radiant gem. She is adorned with the divine silk and jewel ornaments,
and crowned by green Amoghasiddhi. Her function is to alleviate all infectious
diseases and bodily afflictions, and her rites pertain to the attainment of
invisibility.

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-21- Paripurana Tārā, the "Perfecter", is the last of the twenty-one Tārās, and
she appears in the sky directly below Trailokyavijaya Tārā (6).

Homage! Full of liberating

Pow’r by the set of three natures!
Destroys hosts of spirits, yakshas,
And raised corpses! Supreme! TURE!

Paripurana Tārā is beautiful, semi-wrathful and white in colour, with two arms,
one face, and three piercing eyes that represent the 'three doors of liberation'.
With her left knee raised she sits in sattva-paryanka posture upon a white
moon disc and a red lotus, which rests upon the back of a 'miraculously born'
bull. She is adorned with gold ornaments, a tiger-skin loincloth, and she wears a
flayed human skin as an upper garment or shawl. With her raised right hand
she holds a trident-spear, the three points of which pierce the 'three poisons'
(ignorance, craving, and aversion) of cyclic existence. With her left hand, she
holds a pearl rosary in front of her heart, symbolizing her inexhaustible
compassion. She is crowned by Ratnasambhava, and her function is to
overcome the fears caused by demonic possession, zombies and yaksha spirits.
Her rites pertain to 'sky-going', or reaching the Pure Land of Akanistha in this
very lifetime.
Paripurana Tārā may also be depicted sitting in ardha-paryanka posture with
either her left or right foot lowered. She may also wear an upper garment of
silk rather than a flayed human-skin, a five-skull crown instead of a jeweled-
tiara, and her trident and pearl rosary may be depicted in her left and right
hands instead.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -121-
3.c - The descriptions of the Twenty-One Tārās according to
the tradition of Nāgārjuna and Atisha
The descriptions below the following images of the twenty-one
Tārās were posted on the website of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
following the initiation according to the Nāgārjuna - Atisha lineage
that was given by H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama on December 31, 2022.

A depiction of the 21 Tārās in accord with the textual description. It starts at the bottom,
with the red Tārā, and proceeds clockwise.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -122-
(1) Tara who is swift and heroic—red in colour, right hand in the gesture of
bestowing sublime attainments, holding a red vase of subjugation.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -123-

 (2) Tara of immense peace—white in colour like the moon in autumn—
right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding a
white vase that pacifies disease and negative forces.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -124-

 (3) Tara of a golden colour—right hand in the gesture of bestowing
sublime attainments, holding a yellow vase that increases lifespan and
merit.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -125-

 (4) Tara (of life) who is golden in colour—right hand in the gesture of
bestowing sublime attainments, holding a yellow vase that extends
life.
21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -126-
 (5) On a sun disc sits Tara who utters the sound [HUM]—orange in
colour, right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments,
holding an enchanting (orange) vase.

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 (6) On a sun disc sits Tara who is victorious over the three worlds—dark
red in colour, right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime
attainments, holding a (dark red) vase that befuddles evil spirits.

21 praises to Tara, 6 texts combined v. 1.2 -128-

 (7) On a sun disc sits Tara who averts the spells of others—black in
colour and slightly wrathful, right hand in the gesture of bestowing
sublime attainments, holding a (black) vase that counters the spells of
mantras.

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 (8) On a sun disc sits Tara who conquers evil forces—dark red in colour,
right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding a
(dark red) vase that overcomes enemies.

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 (9) Tara who symbolizes the Three Jewels—white in colour, right hand in
the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding a (white) vase
that protects from fears.

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 (10) Tara who conquers maras and subjugates the world—red in
colour, right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments,
holding in her outstretched palm a (red) vase that conquers maras and
subjugates.

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 (11) Tara who invokes (the guardians of the ten directions and so forth)
and rescues from poverty—orange in colour, resembling refined gold,
right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding in
her outstretched palm a (red) vase that protects from poverty.

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 (12) Tara who brings good fortune—orange in colour, right hand in the
gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding an (orange) vase
that brings good fortune.
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 (13) Tara of blazing fire—red in colour, right hand in the gesture of
bestowing sublime attainments, holding a (red) vase that overcomes
enemies.

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 (14) On a sun disc sits frowning Tara—black in colour and frowning
slightly, right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments,
holding a (black) vase that pierces obstructers.

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 (15) Tara of great peace—white in colour, right hand in the gesture of
bestowing sublime attainments, holding a (white) vase that pacifies
negative actions.
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 (16) Tara who liberates through the HUM of knowledge—red in colour,
right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding a
(red) vase that spreads knowledge mantras.

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 (17) Tara who moves the world—orange in colour, right hand in the
gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding an (orange) vase
that subdues knowledge mantras.

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 (18) Tara who pacifies and removes sicknesses due to poison—white
in colour, right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments,
holding a (white) vase that removes sicknesses due to poison.

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 (19) Tara who eliminates disputes and bad dreams—white in colour,
right hand in the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding a
(white) vase that removes disputes and bad dreams.

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 (20) Tara who eliminates epidemics—orange in colour, right hand in
the gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding an (orange)
vase that eliminates epidemics.

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 (21) Tara of enlightened activities—white in colour, right hand in the
gesture of bestowing sublime attainments, holding a (white) vase that
accomplishes different enlightened activities.

All these Taras have one face and two hands, the left of which is in the gesture
of giving refuge and holds the stem of an utpala (a blue lotus) flower. They are
(mostly) peaceful and smile enchantingly. They wear silken garments, are

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adorned with a variety of jewels, and (most of them) are seated on moon disc
seats. They meditate with their legs in the bodhisattva position (which is to
say, right leg slightly extended and left bent inward).

Painting by Andy Weber, 1980. Numbers added by the editor.

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The thangka displayed during the initiation, the second thangka to the left of
the large thangka behind His Holiness – see the next page.

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Scene of the jenang of the Twenty-One Taras on December 31, 2022, a
screenshot taken from a YouTube broadcast.

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Colophons

Colophon 1.a, The twenty-one praises to Tārā with images according to

the Sūryagupta tradition
The thangka on page 6 and the images of the first twenty Tāras were painted
by Dorje Tamang. The image of the twenty-first Tāra was painted by Angeli
Lhadripa Shkonda.
The Tibetan text of the praises, here in phonetics, and the English translation
are the versions found in In Praise of Tārā, Songs to the Saviouress, by Martin
Willson (Wisdom Publications, Somerville MA, USA, 1996).
Text and images have been arranged for use as a prayer book.

Colophon 1.b, The twenty-one praises to Tārā with images according to

the Nāgārjuna-Atisha tradition
These statues of the Twenty-One Tārās were made in Nepal around 1980 and
offered to Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. I saw them at the time and bought
their photographs in Kopan Monastery’s shop. See also colophon 3.
The vases held in each Tārā’s right hand and the colours of the Tārās
correspond to the Nāgārjuna-Atisha tradition.
The Tibetan text of the praises, here in phonetics, and the English translation
are the versions found in In Praise of Tārā, Songs to the Saviouress, by Martin
Willson (Wisdom Publications, Somerville MA, USA, 1996).
Text and images have been arranged for use as a prayer book.

Colophon 2.b, The twenty-one praises to Tārā, a literal translation from

the Sanskrit
The text was copied from In Praise of Tārā, Songs to the Saviouress by Martin
Willson (Wisdom Publications, Somerville MA, USA, 1996, pages 112-116)

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Colophon 3.c, Images and descriptions of the Twenty-One Tārās from the
Nāgārjuna-Atisha tradition
The descriptions of the twenty-one Tārās and part of the images were
published on the site https://www.dalailama.com, following a jenang of the
Twenty-One Tārās that was given by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on
December 31, 2022, on the third day of teachings by His Holiness on the text
Commentary on Bodhicitta, by Āryā Nāgārjuna (December 29-31, 2022, in
Bodhgaya, India).
The images come from four sources. The picture showing all of the Twenty-One
Tārās on page 122 was published on the above-mentioned website of His
Holiness. That thangka is different from the one displayed during the initiation,
seen on page 145.
As to the images of the individual Tārās, on the upper level are always two
images. The ones on the left come from the thangka of page 122. The ones on
the right come from a thangka painted in 1980 by the English artist Andy
Weber. This thangka is shown on page 144. Andy painted the seventh Tārā with
her left leg extended, instead of her right. Both traditions exist.
On the lower level, there is a photograph of a statue of each of the twenty-one
Tārās. See also colophon 1.b.
For eight of the Tārās, there are, on the lower level, painted images coming
from Himalayanart.com. This site does not show images of the other thirteen
Tārās.

Compiled and edited by Hermes Brandt, for the benefit of Tārā practitioners
and as an offering to his precious teacher Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, who
gave him his first Tārā initiation on December 15, 1979. Rinpoche passed into
the clear light state eleven days ago and ended that final meditation 10 days
ago. With prayers to Tārā for his swift return.

Vendôme (41), France, April 24, 2023.

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